"Doug Kanter" <ancientangler@hotmail.com> wrote in
news:Hpgvf.1243$qg.890@news02.roc.ny:

>
> "Fuzzy Logic" <bob@arc.ab.caREMOVETHIS> wrote in message
> news:Xns974276FC98CE9bobarcabca@207.46.248.16...
>> "RJK" <notatospam@hotmail.com> wrote in
>> news:uwgCM7hEGHA.472@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl:
>>
>>> OH...FOR GOODNESS DAMNED SAKE !!!
>>>
>>> ...surely there is a SINGLE ...all singing / all dancing - "install
>>> it and forget it," ...REALLY, REALLY GOOD
>>> ...firewall / anti spy/scum/mal/crap-ware application out there that
>>> can do everything for me automatically,
>>>
>>> ....without having to read through HUMUNGOUS volumes of stuff like :-
>>> http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/...moving_Malware
>>>
>>> ...don't get me wrong - I'm immesely grateful for the untiring efforts
>>> of a large number of decent people out there like
>>> David H Lipman, ...and the above hyperlinked site etc.
>>>
>>> ...but I'd like to use my PC for other things , now and again ! :-)
>>> ....without having to spend inordinately huge amounts of time fiddling
>>> and tweaking and spyware scanning etc.
>>>
>>> regards, Richard
>>
>> The biggest cause of malware/virus infections is the person using the
>> computer not the software/hardware they have.
>>
>> Security is a process not a piece of hardware or software. If you learn
>> the security features of your browser/OS and use proper security
>> techniques such as not opening unsolicted attachments, keeping your
>> software patched and up to date and avoiding malicous web sites you
>> will find that you don't need to spend time cleaning up
>> malware/viruses.
>>
>> FWIW I run my system without a firewall on a high speed connection or a
>> real time virus scanner and have yet to have a security incident in the
>> MANY years I have run this way. I do regular scans for spyware and
>> viruses and have yet to have found even a malicious cookie. I don't
>> recommend you run this way with a shared computer, if you have kids, or
>> can't be bothered to practice safe hex.
>
> You're very lucky, then. Last spring, I did a reformat/reinstall (XP
> Pro) for a friend. The install finished. I walked away for lunch. Came
> back later, started IE, and got popup windows all over the place. I'll
> avoid the middle of the story, but I found the box was infected with
> some sort of crap, and I hadn't visited ANY web sites yet. No installed
> software other than XP.

Windows 98 has no open ports by default. This is not true for Windows 2000
and up.