[NHCOLL-L:549] Lessons from the virus

[Gerald Noonan]

	I think there are two lessons for everyone.
	(1) The host of our group should consider obtaining, if feasible, an 
antivirus program that scans incoming e-mail. I know that Norton antivirus 
has network versions but am not certain what operating systems they run under.
	(2) The second conclusion is that everyone should have on their work and 
home computers good antivirus programs. These programs should be of the 
very latest version, and virus definition files and programs should be 
updated regularly. Both my computer at work and the one at home have Norton 
antivirus as part Of Norton System Works 2000. A feature that I very much 
like about Norton antivirus is that every 2 weeks it puts an alert onto my 
screen stating that I should update it. Updating is very easy, involving 
just a few clicks on the appropriate menu items in the alert screen. My 
Dell computer at work came with a McAfee antivirus program. However, this 
program only provided for updating virus definitions once a month. And 
computer magazines rated the program as less effective than Norton 
AntiVirus. Updating was not necessarily easy and involved a series of 
different tasks. Norton AntiVirus provides for one year's of updates after 
purchase and these updates include not only virus definitions but also 
updates to the program itself. When a new version of the antivirus program 
is released, I purchase it. Antivirus programs seem to be an essential 
requirement for computers these days -- along with backing up entire hard 
drives of course. Without a good antivirus program your computer may be 
infected from the Internet, from a floppy disk put into it by yourself, 
your spouse, friends and family.
	PC Magazine has online reviews of antivirus programs that can be accessed 
on the World Wide Web without charge. Simply go to 
http://www.zdnet.com/pcmag/
and search for antivirus. The most current review rates Norton AntiVirus as 
the best purchase, but some competing programs are close to it in 
effectiveness.

*************************************************
* Gerald R. Noonan Ph.D., Curator of Insects,                    *
* Milwaukee Public Museum                                               *
* 800 W. 
Wells                                                                      *
* Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53233                                           *
* 
carabid at .mpm.edu                                                             *
* voice (414) 278-2762                                                        *
* fax (414) 
278-6100                                                            *
*************************************************