> Some news accounts say you can become infected, hacked,
> or compromised in as little as 15 minutes on the Internet.
>

I can attest to that!!  It happened to me in less than 15 minutes
online.  I'd reformatted and had to go to Windows update before I could
even re-download my firewall and virus protection.  In the time it took
to do that, I was infected with a virus.  It was literally shocking.

I don't know what I'm going to do the next time I reformat, which I need
to do here shortly, since I have Windows 98SE.   It's not even enough to
have CDs of your firewall and virus protection, if you have an outdated
OS like Win 98, because you can't use those CDs without the Windows
updates!   (Which takes hours to download.)  Any suggestions?  (Well,
other than getting a new computer with a new OS, which I can't do,
because I am disabled with Multiple Sclerosis and live on a meager
disability income and can barely afford the computer and Internet
service I have......don't know when I'll ever get a new computer.
That's why I joined this group, hoping to update the one I've got, but a
lot of that seems to be over my head, I hate to admit.)
Carol Hanson

                Curious about the people moderating your
                   messages? Visit our staff web site:
                    http://freepctech.com/staff.shtml