>may I suggest using something > other than Microsoft Windows, to avoid needing firewalls and anti virus software > altogether?
>I am not trying to claim that Mac OS X is completely secure (nothing ever is)
Hi Bryan, you've actually come within a hair's breadth of saying that Mac OS X is completely secure: if you use Mac OS X (or anything other than Windows) you can "avoid needing firewalls and anti virus software altogether". Are you serious ?
Being smug, ignoring proper security, and saying "my OS is secure" will land a person in an embarrassing world of hurt sooner or later. As market share for OS X grows, so will the threats, malware, viruses, hacks, and attacks. Sooner or later, it will become "worth their while" for those who pursue such dark avenues.
If you are running *any* OS without firewall or proper anti-virus / anti-malware protection, then I hope you aren't connecting to the net.