My main studio Mac - this one - is hooked up to the Internet, but it's behind two firewalls (one in my router and the other in software) and even if I were stupid enough to install them, there are no system updates to 9.2.2! But if something happens, I have my system hard drive backed up and can just replace its contents and get back to work.

My Windows machine is also connected so I can get GigaStudio or sample library updates, but I sure don't use it for email. The worms seem to have died down, but I was getting about 20 messages containing them every day - literally.

I have a fire wall that comes with comcast. spy stopper and history kill, all of which still does not stop stuff from being installed on my computer while on line. it's like the wild wild west out there with high speed.

I get my home page changed, icons apper on my tool bar from programs that get installed. It's crazy. I think something is in there eating up CPU though I can't find it.

This is an older mother board that I don't think well work with XP. Time to upgrade.

Nick is on a Mac, which is immune to all Windows viruses. Firewalls are a superb safety item too.

Jeremy, if you have your own firewall (most routers will do the job) you know it's working. I wouldn't trust my cable ISP.

As for automatic installs, you must have automatic update turned on, and/or you've already got bad software running that's doing nasty things to you. Clean it up, install a cheap router, and you'll be safer.

ISPs have traditionally NOT blocked the TCP ports that caused the recent Windows problems...so much for their firewall.