I've tested a variety over the last while looking for the best combination. A few of the quirks I found with different ones:

BitDefender: does not play nice with GMail - slows page loading enormously, seems solid otherwise
AVG8.0: firewall has less customization than in early versions, email scanner seems really slow
Panda: issues with email client eventually refusing to connect, have to reboot PC to get back functional - more pronounced on Vista than XP
Norton: failed to install properly - didn't bother to try to fight with it.
Kaspersky: liked it - customizable firewall, informative alerts, not excessively hard on the system overhead, useful options when a threat found.

Currently trying two free tools that rated well in PC World magazine - Avast Home antivirus (not sure how I like the VRDB yet) and Comodo Firewall (nags a LOT with popups until fully trained). ZoneAlarm also has free firewall that gives good customizability.

PC World had an article on how to construct your own security suite using free applications:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/150204/build_your_own_free_security_suite.html

Thanks for the prompt feedback!  I know many ppl use ZoneAlarm and like it.  I've never tried it.  We've been more than pleased w/ Kaspersky!  BitDefender was rated slightly higher this year, but I'm tempted to stay w/ something that has worked so far w/ our various s/w.  I do use gmail quite a bit.  Having just changed ISP I've switched alot of personal mail to gmail.  Even have my Itchmo friends in a group in gmail, although I will never send a group mail out to the Itchmo group.  It just make ppl here on Itchmo easy to find, both by their screen name and real name.

We're on a home network.  Used to use WinProxy on our NT Server, and then WinProxy got expensive, especially since we no longer use the home office for a real business since retiring.  However, if your computer network at work is in need of new secure solutions, tell your IT person to take a close look at WinProxy.  Viruses just don't get past it, nor can hackers break thru. 

Still open to all suggestions. 

Was on AVG free and AVG paid antispyware. There are rumors that AVG free antivirus is being phased out soon. So
started having problems getting paid antispyware to update. Also, newest version of AVG free antivirus does not have
email scanning I don't think. So finally got fed up.

Tried Kaspersky free trial. Bogged my notebook down and hogged resources.

Now been using Avast Home free edition for several months and really like it. Set it on auto update, and it works quite well so far.
Antispyware also free, Malwarebytes. No resource hogging by either program, but you do have to manually run antispyware scans.

Just hate Norton software. Resource HOG of a major kind.

Had problems with Zone Alarm firewall and Commodo firewall. So, gulp, now using Windows firewall. Not a big communicator on
firewall intrusions, but if you want to stay in the free software environment, it works I also weekly run Kaspersky online scanner and so
far have remained clean. Also use Gibson Research Shields Up and HijackThis to double check. No automatic operation, but not
paying an arm and a leg and so far have remained uninfected. It wouldn't fit your goal of total automated one program operation, though,
Carolo. Mine is a combo of user interactive, but free.