-=> CHRIS MARTIN wrote to HOWIE COOMBE <=-

 HC> This is a short off topic message from a Windows XP User by the name of
ow
 CM> ie
 HC> Coombe who is interested in hearing from anybody on the Virus Echo who may
 HC> have information on virus's that can affect a Windows XP OS Endowed Laptop
 CM> and
 HC> how i may avoid it, prefferably without going into the Internet,

 CM> Best way, is to buy a copy of one of the leading brands of
 CM> Anti-virus software, such as Norton, McAfee, Trend Micro's
 CM> PC-Cillin, or one of the free downloads such as the german AVP
 CM> (Anti-Virus Personal), keep them updated.

good advice in general...

but:

 CM> Buy or download an
 CM> effective Firewall program, such as Black Ice Defender, or Zone
 CM> Alarm (free) Pro (commercial) as the built-in firewall included
 CM> with XP is almost as useless as water.

his preference is to not go on the internet... as such, what good will a
firewall do him? a firewall is a device/program that controls the
passage of traffic across network interfaces - if he doesn't connect to
an untrusted network like the internet it seems like it would be a waste
to use...

unless . . . he meant he'd prefer a means of protecting himself *before*
going on the internet (seeing as how there are worms that can affect a
machine within *seconds* of being connected)... in which case there's a
paper that addresses just this issue - unfortunately it's on the
internet (the irony) and it's a pdf...
http://www.cablemodemhelp.com/xpsurvivalguide.pdf ... i'll see if i
can't get an ascii transcription of it to post...
 
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