[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I guess not everyone takes the trouble,
> as I do, to automatically run Grisoft AVG in the early morning hours
> on my machines, and Ad Aware and Spybot Smash and Destroy once per > week or so. PAT]
The reality is actually quite depressing. What I've experienced personally is that the majority of users don't care. As long as they can surf the 'net and do email/IM they're happy. It used to be the case that the load from viruses and spyware was enough to drag a system to its knees, but with 3+ Ghz systems they often hardly notice it. I've actually had people criticize me for "messing with their system" when I offered to help clean up and patch up their Windows boxes (which had never received any security updates, were running expired antivirus software, and were directly connected to cable modems).
John Meissen snipped-for-privacy@aracnet.com
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Yeah, but you see, perhaps I am an atypical user in that way. I have to work from here at home, and spend a few hours each day on my web sites, most often as not the Digest. I prefer to leave the cable connection up 24/7 since things like my weather station relies on it. My computers are all old, shabby, cranky things which work at very slow CPU speed, and I just cannot afford the time required to constantly clean out viruses and erase spam. I've got to have those automated virus checking/smashing/ destroying programs on hand and running daily. PAT]