I do not believe in anti-virus programs that is why I do not have one on my computers. I have got three Windows 7 Netbooks. If you have an anti-virus program a lot of the time. There have been cases where they have misread your computer and people have been told they have a virus and that program has been removed or blocked. When they do not have a computer virus.
You did mention servers but I have not installed a server on my Netbooks,I do not think I have the room for it. Or maybe I do have,I am not sure.
Obviously when I browse the Internet I must be connected to some kind of server on Windows but I don't know what that is.
But I think my chances of getting a virus on Windows 7 are very small, and even if I did have Windows XP,I still think that I would not get a virus. As I use my computer at home and it is set on a home network not a public network.
And talking about Windows XP-I wrote a post on Outlook Express or THE EMAIL THAT NOBODY CAN USE. And I have read that Outlook Express is responsible for a number of viruses.
And although on Windows 7 they don't have Outlook Express there,they have got Windows Live Mail,which is a clone of it.
But the good news is that on Windows 7,Windows Live Mail is not bundled with Windows. So you do not get Outlook Express or one of it's clones,such as,SeaMonkey Mail,Thunderbird or Windows Live Mail. Unless you download and install them yourself.
But like Outlook Express,these email client's are modeled on Outlook Express and are clones of it. So like Outlook Express you won't be able to use them anyway. See my post on this site here-
http://windows7forums.com/windows-7-support/58739-email-client-error-message-3.html But on Windows 7 as I said,none of these type of email clients is bundled with Windows. But if you have got Windows XP or Windows Vista,you are not so lucky.
As on Windows XP Outlook Express is bundled with Windows, so you are stuck with it as it cannot be uninstalled in programs menu,like Firefox can be. So the only way to get rid of it is to delete the file in programs on C/drive like I did with Internet Explorer. This would remove the program.
Windows Vista users have Windows Mail,another Outlook Express clone bundled with Windows, and so that cannot be uninstalled in programs menu. Unless you delete the file in programs on C/drive like in Windows XP.
But Windows 7 users do not have to face any of that as Outlook express or a clone of it is not bundled with Windows 7 and does not come with it. So you don't get it unless you install it yourself.
But who would do that? As you cannot use Outlook Express or any of it's clones and if you try to set it up,you won't get further than writing your own email address. As I said in my other posts,it asks you for your outgoing http. or POP server and I don't know that. Then it asks you for your incoming http. or POP server and I don't know that either.
And yes,I tried all of the suggestions that the web said about my G.Mail server. Google does tell you what that is but when I tried it with SeaMonkey mail-an Outlook Express clone,it did not work.
So no matter how hard, or how much, you try to set up Outlook Express or one of it's clones,you won't get it up and running.
Back to the virus issue, they say that Outlook Express is not safe and there is a risk of viruses. But as no one can use it you won't have to worry.
Because Outlook Express and it's clones,Windows Mail,Windows Live Mail,Thunderbird and others are- THE EMAIL THAT NOBODY CAN USE. So you won't get a virus from this as you won't be able to use it.
But one thing you WILL get is one big headache trying to set it up, but of course you won't be able to.
Outlook Express and it's clones really are-THE EMAIL THAT NOBODY CAN USE and YOU won't be able to use it either.
But as it has been said on the web that Outlook Express has a risk of computer viruses,maybe it is not a bad thing that nobody can use it or it's clones.
Now all that is needed is that Outlook Express needs to be removed from Windows XP, and Windows Mail,it's clone removed from Windows Vista.
That will make Windows XP and Windows Vista users very happy. I am sure. And I am just happy that I do not have to deal with Outlook Express or it's clones on my Windows 7. So I don't have to spend time deleting files to uninstall it. To get it off of my computer.
And the good news is Windows defender has been updated this month as it is twice a month along with Malicious Software Removal Tool-MRT.
And although Windows defender and MRT are not included in Windows XP like they are on Windows 7 and Windows Vista. Windows XP users can download and install,these two tools from the Microsoft website. Andrea Borman.