I know what you mean littlebull! When I first got Windows Vista I was curious to know whether my games would work on it, however, a quick Google search told me whether my games were compatible. This is a huge list of what softwares are compatible with Windows Vista:
http://www.iexbeta.com/wiki/index.php/Windows_Vista_Software_Compatibility_List
I know what you mean when you say that there are many freewares on the internet for antivirus or spyware programs, however, some people do like to buy those products and make sure that they truly are protected. 😉 I hope the list will help you and your mother out, it truly is a huge list. :lol: