Don, why not try using your own judgment? If you tried using an email client like Eudora long enough to become familiar with how it works (a day or two) you might find, like many other people, that it is actually better than the one that was foisted on you by Microsoft.

In my view AV programs can mess around with other programs you may want to load, are generally a pain in the neck and not worth the hassle. Maybe I'll pick up an infection one day, but so might anyone like Mark who religiously updates AV protection every week. Because as long as there are AV programs there will be nerds who devote themselves to outsmarting them. And outsmart them they will (and do).

Of course, I should perhaps confess that the reckless streak in me would be just a little bit curious to see a real bubonic-plague type virus let loose that reduced the worldwide web to jelly. If nothing else, it would make a slightly more level playing field for the 80 per cent of the world's population that have yet to make a telephone call. (OK, maybe it's not 80 per cent, but I know it's something staggering.)