I believe the Net needs regulating, at least a LOT more than it is now. FOr the average person, the internet is a swamp full alligators ready to swallow you.
You cannot expect to keep your computer running unless you spends hundreds of dollars per year in anti-virus, anti-spyware products. And even then, about once a year you will get something that costs you days of productivity trying to get your machine back to a usable state.
By and large, the “keep it free” crowd want a playground. Problem is, there is a sizable number of people in this country (and others) who are predators. Their hunting field is the unwary computer owner.
There needs to be a SERIOUS strengthening and enforcement of anti-hacking and anti-virus writing laws.
Most viruses and hacking that plagues US users comes from other countries. US legislation about it would be in vain.
I could well see optional filtering services offered on the internet side of the ISP’s connection to you, that would attempt to stop web-borne malware. It would have the advantage of being up-to-the-minute.
As for computers being vulnerable to malware, thank Bill Gates. His Windows PCs were not originally intended to be on a world wide web. UNIX-based systems such as Macs and various Linuxen were designed from the bottom up for a hostile networking environment and are more robust in the face of such attacks. Supposedly, the newest versions of Windows are now far stronger against attacks than older ones. But a wrong setting can still easily open them up.
———————You cannot expect to keep your computer running unless you spends hundreds of dollars per year in anti-virus, anti-spyware products.-—————
And............
-—————I believe the Net needs regulating, at least a LOT more than it is now.-—————
Wow. Your freedom is for sale for only a few hundred dollars?
I know that’s not what you were intending to say, but this net neutrality debate is remarkably clear. It was started by marxists, it was sold by marxists and progressives in the media, it’s been raised and matured on marxism, and now these marxists have infiltrated the FCC.
They don’t care about a few hundred dollars. What they care about is power and control.
-—————There needs to be a SERIOUS strengthening and enforcement of anti-hacking and anti-virus writing laws.——————
What you need is linux. Problem solved.