Originally I titled this web site "How I went a year without a virus scanner". The whole idea of going without a a virus scanner for a year started out as a bet. I was certain that I could minimize my risk of receiving a virus dramatically if I took the necessary precautions. Having said that, I do not recommend going with out a virus scanner but I highly recommend disabling all scripting.

Safe computing practices mainly make it more difficult for malicious code to enter or execute on your personal PC. However, the recommended settings that you (hopefully) have just done are not intended to replace currently updated anti virus software. I can not stress enough how important it is to update your virus definitions regularly.

In general, most viruses are mere nuisances, but every once in a while a new virus comes along that uses a new technique and causes major computer problems or threatens data or data security. These settings will add a protective layer of defense to prevent viruses from running inadvertently.