Well there is something else you might consider. Run Linux..
Cheers.

Jack
Be of stout heart.
Yield not to MisFortune..

On Fri, 30 Jan 2004, Christopher J chaltain wrote:

> True enough and don't forget good old common sense and practicing safe
> computing.  don't open up attachments unless you're expecting them.  Make
> sure
> your system displays file extensions so you don't get spoofed by a virus.
> Keep your OS, mail handler and internet browser up to date, especially
> with security
> patches.  The recent issue of the Internet Tourbus e-zine claims that if
> you practice tips like these, you don't need an antivirus package.  I
> don't necessarily
> agree, but IMHO, all of the tools and safeguards in the world won't do as
> much for you as good old common sense.
>
> Christopher
>
> Christopher J Chaltain
> [log in to unmask]
>
>
>
>
> David Poehlman <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent by: "VICUG-L: Visually Impaired Computer Users' Group List"
> <[log in to unmask]>
> 01/30/2004 02:35 PM
> Please respond to David Poehlman
>
>
>         To:     [log in to unmask]
>         cc:
>         Subject:        Re: [VICUG-L] PC minimal security
>
> There is no one size fits all approach here.  You need to determine your
> uses and needs.  I ran for years with just a good anti virus package that
> I
> kept up to date.  When I first connected to cable, I got a firewall.  I
> found that one of my computers the one still on dial up was collecting
> spyware/mall ware so I obtained an anti spy ware program.  When I went
> wireless, I dropped the software firewall in favor of the hardware
> firewall
> in my router/access point and now, I run spy ware on both pcs.
>
> To provide some perspective, if one is using a connection via dial up and
> infrequently and in short bursts, neither a firewall nor a
> spyware/mallware
> dector/remover is needed but everyone must use an antivirus package unless
> you never connect to the internet in which case, you might never see this
> message.  I read a ton of stuff about this and most of it I disagree with
> but that probably has something to do with the fact that I don't go after
> advertising or want to pal up to the software perveyors.  I'm not saying
> that safe computing is enough because that does not hold any more since
> you
> can go to a web site and have a worm dropped on your pc but I am saying
> that
> most of the time, this stuff is over rated.
>
> One thing I have asked myself and others and have not been able to find an
> adaquate answer for is Why suddenly, manufacturers of networking equipment
> distribute a firewall software package with their firewall router?  About
> the only answer I can think of is to protect your computers from one
> another
> and in some ways, that seems silly.
>
> Flame off.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Lynn Evans" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2004 12:02 AM
> Subject: Re: PC minimal security
>
>
> Hello Dino and all interested parties:
>
> I agree. We should all be practicing safe computing. Good protection is
> made
> up of 4 elements: .  FIREWALL, VIRUS PROTECTION. SPY WARE KILLER and
> backup
> your document file.  You may have to perches the anti virus software.
>
> Please don't let the information below scare you off. The programs you
> need
> can be downloaded from the internet for free. Do a little at a time. Put
> up
> a firewall and work on the rest in the following weeks.
>
> We are working with computers here and it would benefit us all to pick up
> on
> the computer jargon. I use Kim Komando's web site for the information
> below.
> www.komando.com
>
> There is a web site for the non technical approach. However the owner is
> into self promotion of his e books on computer tricks and tips. The web
> site
> is http://www.newbieclub.com/  and you can find tutorials here and sign up
> for his weekly newsletter.
>
>
>
>
>
>       1 Put Up A Barrier To Intruders With A Firewall
>
>
>       A firewall should be installed along with anti-virus software.
>
>
>       Firewalls can be either hardware or software. If you have a home
> network and a router, the router probably includes a firewall. Be sure you
> have enabled it. Check the instructions. Router firewalls are very
> capable.
>
>       However, relatively few home users have routers. So they need
> software
> firewalls. Some anti-virus packages include firewalls. There are also
> numerous stand-alone firewalls made. At least two--ZoneAlarm
> (http://www.zonelabs.com) and Outpost (http://www.agnitum.com) are free. I
> use and recommend ZoneAlarm.
>
>       Home firewalls hide your computer from snoops. The computer has a
> number of communication points, called ports. These are used to send data
> to
> the Internet from the computer. Intruders use sniffing programs to find
> computers with open ports. The ports can be used by backdoor programs to
> send information--for instance, your credit card numbers-- to a computer
> on
> the Internet. Firewalls make these ports invisible.
>
>       Firewalls also block unauthorized transmissions from your computer
> to
> the Internet. So even if someone succeeds in planting a Trojan horse on
> your
> computer, a firewall will keep it from sending information to the
> Internet.
> The firewall will tell you a program is transmitting. You will have the
> choice of permitting the transmission, or blocking it.
>
>       Windows XP has a firewall built in. It is not enabled by default.
> So,
> unless you enabled it, it is not running. XP's firewall does a good job of
> hiding computers. But it does not block outbound transmissions. So I do
> not
> recommend it. However, it is better than nothing.
>
>       A firewall is crucial to your computer's security. Install one
> today.
> Once it is configured, you'll hardly know it is there. But it could save
> you
> a lot of grief
>
>
> 2 and 3     Anti virus software and spy ware.
>
>  Problems in exterminating a virus
>
> Q. I believe I have a virus on my computer. I scanned it with my
> anti-virus software, which did not find anything. What else can I do?
>
> A. Be sure that your anti-virus program is up-to-date. This is very
> important; new viruses show up constantly. You can download updates
> from the manufacturer's Web site.
>
> You can also use online scanning programs. These two are free:
> Panda-- http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/
> HouseCall-- http://housecall.trendmicro.com/
>
> If you still come up clean, you probably are not infected. All major
> brands of anti-virus software are updated regularly. It is very
> unlikely that you have a virus that is unknown to these companies.
>
> Sometimes, poorly developed spyware programs can make computers flaky.
> Spyware is often included with downloads of free programs from the
> Internet. These programs track your Web browsing habits and report them
> back to a computer on the Internet. That information is used to tailor
> ads for you.
>
> It is easy to track down spyware. You can find and delete it with
> Ad-aware (http://www.lavasoftusa.com) or Spybot Search and Destroy
> (http://www.safer-networking.org/). Both programs are free. They also
> must be updated regularly.
>
> Occasionally, a new program can make a system unstable. This is not
> likely, but if nothing else works, try uninstalling any recent hardware
> and software
>
> 4  Back up your document files and keep them in a safe place.
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dino Cardamone" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2004 9:32 PM
> Subject: PC minimal security
>
>
> > Hi all.
> >
> > I am finally getting scared and motivated enough to do some preventative
> > security on my system.
> >
> > Is there anywhere I can go to get a really clear, dummie language,
> > adequately functional, description of where to get inexpensive software
> for
> > Virus Protection, Firewalls and Spy software?
> >
> > I'm looking to get the most protection, with the least amount of
> technical
> > side effects, and also the least amount of cost, and difficulty in
> > installation and maintenance.
> >
> > Thank you very much.
> > Dino Cardamone
> > Pittsburgh, PA USA
> >
> >
> > VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
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> >
>
>
> VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
> To join or leave the list, send a message to
> [log in to unmask]  In the body of the message, simply type
> "subscribe vicug-l" or "unsubscribe vicug-l" without the quotations.
>  VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at
> http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/vicug-l.html
>
>
> VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
> To join or leave the list, send a message to
> [log in to unmask]  In the body of the message, simply type
> "subscribe vicug-l" or "unsubscribe vicug-l" without the quotations.
>  VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at
> http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/vicug-l.html
>
>
> VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
> To join or leave the list, send a message to
> [log in to unmask]  In the body of the message, simply type
> "subscribe vicug-l" or "unsubscribe vicug-l" without the quotations.
>  VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at
> http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/vicug-l.html
>
>


VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
To join or leave the list, send a message to
[log in to unmask]  In the body of the message, simply type
"subscribe vicug-l" or "unsubscribe vicug-l" without the quotations.
 VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at
http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/vicug-l.html