Dear Kurt, in regards to this old message to me.

 > -=> HOWIE COOMBE wrote to ALL <=-

 > HC> This is a short off topic message from a Windows XP User by the name  

 >  virus prevention without going on-line is going to be tough...


But it is doable?.

 > if you're going to use anti-virus software you're going to have to
keep it   > up to date...


Aha.

 > you may find a bbs that has updates regularly posted in their file   
       > downloads section but by far downloading them from the internet
is a much    > more sure bet...


Aha.

 > if you aren't going to use anti-virus software then you have a much
tougher  > job - you can't tell an infected file just by eyeballing it
so you have to   > be much stingier about what you allow to go on the
laptop...


Indeed.

 > new materials (programs and often so-called data files like word
documents   > or excel spreadsheets or a host of other types) are your
enemies and         > preventing viruses without any way of telling if
those materials are         > infected means disallowing most new
materials on your laptop...


Which is most bothersome.

 > even those from supposed trusted sources aren't necessarily safe,


Bugger.

 > as microsoft themselves have been known to accidentally distribute
infected  > materials...


Aha.

 > you may find this places unreasonable limits on the usefulness of
your       > system...


Yes it does.

 > draconian,


Yes it is.

 > i know,


Indeed.

 > but preventing viruses means avoiding infected materials,


Aha.

 > and without using tools for identifying most infected materials
that's the   > only avoidance method left...


Avoiding all mail?.

 > on the plus side,


Yes?.

 > if you never go on the internet or connect your computer to a network
then   > there are entire classes of threats that you don't have to
worry about...


Well that is good to read.

--- FLAME v2.0/b