Viruses

[mikeymike]

Windows users without proper virus scanning software and firewalling should be banned from the internet. They're just a liability.

WHOA! EGO HAS REACHED CRITICAL MASS!

Even with virus scanners and firewall software, users can still be idiots, let software talk through the firewall, forget to update their virus scanners, all kinds of things can happen.

Virus scanners and firewall software is unnecessary if users are educated properly.

[mikeymike]

There are very few viable alternatives for the average user.  All the alternatives have viruses written for them though, if the market share were to go to any of the alternatives, so would the virus share.

Admittedly alternative operating systems are unlikely to have the excellent virus launching platform that Microsoft products provide.

[mikeymike]

I don't use Windows, Mike.

And?

[mikeymike]

And this is the pinnacle of user-education, no?

Contrary to popular advocacy belief, no.

[mikeymike]

The modern virus killers have the ability to recognize/detect a possible new virus

I wouldn't count on it :-)

One thing that doesn't impress me about virus scanners is their lack of ability to detect possible new viruses, mainly because it is commercially unsound to make such a product.  The excuse is always that it is impossible, but look at SpamAssassin.  Using the AV companies' rationale, SpamAssassin would have to make an identical match to class an email as spam.  SA isn't a revolutionary-clever piece of software.

[mikeymike]

What if a spammer gets infected with a virus like Sobig?

Heh.  Spammers don't use the Windows Address Book :-)