> in other words given above do we really need this AV junk at all? > > i am thinking of going naked
I've always been "naked". The only time I ever run "clothed" is when I occasionally run the free Trend Micro online scan. I close all my apps, start up IE, and go the Trend Micro website to run that scan. Once it's done, I exit IE, and go about my business in the buff.
I have never had a virus on my work machines. Once 2 years ago my assistant had a virus on his workstation. But he was a virus magnet - his home machines were always getting screwed up by viruses. We cleaned his workstation. It had not infected others on the LAN, and no data was lost. After I educated him on how to avoid viruses, he never mucked up his workstation again.
For organizations with large IT infrastructure, I pity them. They have a wide spectrum of user abilities, from the drooling idiot to the supremely skilled. Any measures good enough to protect the network from the former will piss off the latter. In a small organization, it is possible to keep the computer skills within a narrow range, and educate everyone as necessary. Perhaps larger organizations should partition their networks into 2 separate LAN IP zones: the idiot zone, and the guru zone. Lock down hard the idiot zone, and let the guru zone run naked.
Another problem I've always had with the business model of AV software: how do we know that the AV providers aren't writing the viruses themselves? Seems like a surefire way to make money - create a problem and sell the solution. "Gee, dats a fine computer youse got dere. Be a shame if anytin' werda happen to it." You occasionally see news stories about some lone hacker in a basement getting arrested for this, but I have never heard of any FBI investigations into the AV software companies internal operations.
Important note: in this context, "naked" refers to running a computer without anti-virus software! Hopefully your porn spam filter didn't reject this message. ;-)
Best regards, Ivan Baggett Bagotronix Inc. website: www.bagotronix.com Dennis Saputelli wrote:
where is the free version ? in only see a 30 trial version also what is the real risk of virus infection if: 1] you are literate (i.e., don't click on attachments unless you what what you are doing, etc.) 2] are behind a simple NAT firewall 3] don't use MS email SW in other words given above do we really need this AV junk at all? i am thinking of going naked Dennis Saputelli _______________________________________________________________________ Integrated Controls, Inc. Tel: 415-647-0480 EXT 107 2851 21st Street Fax: 415-647-3003 San Francisco, CA 94110 www.integratedcontrolsinc.com
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