I run Linux about 95% of the time now, so this is a bit of a moot point, but I was inspired by NooDle's post about the three antivirus/spyware cleanup programs he runs weekly to ask something that has nagged at me for years:
I haven't run Antivirus software on my Windows install since I moved away from Windows 95, nor have I run a firewall or anti-spyware software, yet the last virus I got was on DOS 6.2. Am I just really lucky? I was never willing to accept the speed and memory decreases associated with having a background-scanning AV program, and never saw the benefits, but it seems like I'm the only person who holds this view. I simply try not to be stupid: always keep completely up-to-date, use Firefox, don't open attachments. Can it really be that simple?
I haven't run Antivirus software on my Windows install since I moved away from Windows 95, nor have I run a firewall or anti-spyware software, yet the last virus I got was on DOS 6.2. Am I just really lucky? I was never willing to accept the speed and memory decreases associated with having a background-scanning AV program, and never saw the benefits, but it seems like I'm the only person who holds this view. I simply try not to be stupid: always keep completely up-to-date, use Firefox, don't open attachments. Can it really be that simple?