This is a really simple question to answer – you need to use antivirus software to protect your own computer, and to prevent your computer from being used to pass on infections to other machines without your knowledge. If you use internet and you don’t take precautions, you’re going to get infected. And you’ll infect others, including those you care about most like your friends, family, and business contacts because their information is in your email address book and other files on your computer.

If you don’t care about infecting others, let’s look at economic argument for a moment. You have a computer that must have cost at least $600, and perhaps as much as $4,000. On top of that you’ll have a monitor for which you paid between $250 and $1000, and you’re running software costing at least $500 dollars. If you have business or specialist packages installed then I’m guessing you may have invested $5000 in software alone. You will probably pay upwards of 25 dollars a month for your internet connection. And if you store personal data on your PC, it is probably worth more than money to you.

So you’ve got equipment worth something like $1400 if you’re computing on cheap, right up to (and beyond) $10,000 if you flex your wallet a little. Think of this as being same in price as an acceptable older used car right up to pretty good used car you could buy for ten thousand dollars.

Now imagine that car had all locks removed and could be started without a key – and of course you could paint “STEAL ME” on it for good measure. That makes a lot of sense..yea right!

Having a computer that does not have up-to-date antivirus and firewall protection is pretty much exactly same. You are simply asking for trouble!

This kind of trouble doesn’t need to be invited twice, because viruses, worms, Trojans and all rest, are designed to find unprotected computers and attack them. They don’t seek out protected computers! If they find one, they simply move on.

NOTE: Firewalls are one good way to keep net-nasties moving on, you can learn more about them at: http://www.antivirus-report.com/freeware-firewall.html

However, to set record straight, I don't hate Google, DMOZ and Yahoo!. I really don't. Hate is such a ridiculous waste of energy. I do have problems with way they conduct business--but hate them, no. My articles are merely an expression of my right to free speech. The same right we all have. It's just that I'm an extremely passionate person with an aggressive personality, and that comes through loud and clear in my writing.

Anyway, I thought about what my "fan" said in her e-mail, and decided, why not suggest an alternative search engine? Search.com is my choice.

As search engines go, Search.com has to be best kept secret on Internet. I discovered them about two years ago, and I've been using them ever since.

Search.com is a metasearch search engine. So, what's a metasearch search engine? Glad you asked. Let me explain. Most search engines simply compile results from a single database of web sites. A metasearch search engine actually compiles search results from a variety of sources. When you enter a query at Search.com, you actually submit your query to top search engines on Internet, and then merge results eliminating any duplicates.

Search.com is owned by CNET Networks, Inc. CNET, www.cnet.com is trusted source of information for millions of technology consumers around world. Winner of countless awards, CNET provides expert and unbiased advice on technology products, and services to inform users and expedite purchasing.