i cant even count how many times

I don't see how Spam has anything to do with what kind of computer you're using. Did you mean something else?

The three main computers in my house are all running Windows 2000. Before that it was Win98, and in all those years, I've only encountered one single virus. Two if you count the one that was caught by AVG before I'd even decompressed the zip file it had rode in on.

Aside from cookies, I've had zero spyware, and again, cookies are not platform specific and depend on your browser more than your operating system.

For my own peace of mind I'm using Opera instead of IE, and Thunderbird instead of Outlook Express, but I never had problems with the Microsoft versions.

I'm behind a modest Linksys router acting as my firewall, and all the PCs run AVG anti-virus and get the occasional cleaning with Ad-Aware and Spybot.

We all know Windows is far more vulnerable online compared to OS X, but with a small handful of free programs, I've had no problems.

I'm also careful where I surf. Websites for w@rez and pr0n tend to be big clearinghouses of malware.

On that note...
I was told a hilarious story by a co-worker who'd been the go-between for a computer I was selling. His friend got the computer from me (an aging Compaq) and as soon as he got online, went on a cyber-porn spree.
He gets a message on his screen after a while that he's been caught looking at illegal porn, that the police have been informed and will be visiting him and any previous owners of that computer, and they also displayed his IP, email address and city.
Being new to computers, the guy had called my co-worker in a panic the next day, confessed to the sites he'd been on, and was almost crying asking what he should do now, and whether I'd get in trouble when the police arrived because I was a previous owner. He hadn't been able to sleep, and it took a lot of 'splainin to get him calmed down.

I haven't asked, but I'm guessing he's kept his browsing G-rated since then.

I consider myself a well-rounded person as far as OSes go. Windows has it's place and time, and requirements. For me to use Windows XP (which I do sometimes, my PC dual boots into that and Gentoo), I have to make sure it stays running, first off. Spyware is the single most biggest thing I need to watch out for.

By even browsing mostly tame sites, with Firefox, with ActiveX disabled, things still somehow manage to get on it. I have to bring out the duo of Spybot and Adaware to kill them both off, both being free applictions. I do this about weekly, and it keeps the machine running. If you let it collect on you, havock will no doubt ensure.

As far as viruses go, don't be an idiot, and you won't fall prey *for the most part*. Half of these things are issued by "OMG LOOK @T MI PIC LOL" AIM bombs that link to malicious sites. Or, similar things in inboxes that people, somehow, with NO CONCERN, execute. These are simple, idiotic ploys, and somehow people fall for them. Just have half a wit, and you'll be fine. Things like Blaster, however, that actively seek out other machines through no user-intervention, are NASTY, and cannot be avoided unless one is firewalled (hardware, none of that software crap that does more harm than good).

Windows XP isn't that bad to use. While it's not the best thing, security wise, the OS can take a rather fair deal of beating, and once you turn it on it's "Silver" theme, no longer rapes the eyes. Yes, all I use Windows for is gaming, but for just that purpose, it stays out of the way and does it's job.

I'd rather write a horror to success story, however. This laptop I'm currently writing on is a shared machine, running Windows XP. It's used mostly as a work machine for others, and it's my job to keep an eye on it, to make sure it remains in working order. The problem is, it falls prey to a lot of things. Upkeep is important. It was infested with spyware, and thing just randomly skittered around like crazy. A few spyware scans in safemode, and things were working once more. No viruses, but spyware can be just as nasty. The laptop, is currently working very well, and shows no signs of being picky.

If you want an OS that's going to run regardless of what happens to it, MacOS X, Linux, and the BSDs are your choice. If you want something a little more mainstream and compatible, well, put Windows in an emulator, or dual boot between it and Linux. It's not the best OS in the world, but at least it works, for the most part, with upkeep.

One PC I fixed for a colleague had over 700 spyware/adware infestations.
Lets just say that he thought I had seriously upgraded it afterwars as it ran so fast...

To make Windoooze safer follow these simple rules:

1. Firewall it!
2. SP2 now!
3. Kill IE, use Opera or firefox instead.
4. M$ Don'tLook is a firing offense!
5. Do NOT LOG ON AS Administrator! If you need to install something, use the 'Run as...' function.
6. No Windooze machine must ever be connected to the net without a decent AND updated anti-virus package. (No, Norton is NOT among those)

Many Gamerz/Lamerz disable their anti-virus packages/firewalls while playing over the net to avoid lag. Some of them never installs it at all. therefore; never connect to a net full of gamerz.
(Like big lan-parties. )
From what I hear, the admins at larger lan-parties spend most of their time doing after it has opened is to track down infected machines and disconnecting them from the net...

I have one of those wifi ethernet bridges and they work very well. The computer thinks its just connected to a standard ethernet network, and you can even connect one to a switch to have a remote wired network. The one I have is the linksys wet11 or something like that.

thank you someone has finnally shown that they own a wifi bridge. this is the happy answer i was looking for! :-)

I have cleaned a computer before that couldn't have been more than 6 months old and Spybot and Ad-Aware together removed over 9,500 spyware entries-- Norton removed 3 viruses. Their modem drivers had stopped working, Internet Explorer was unusable as well as a good part of the Windows XP UI, and most of the big-name adware programs and toolbars were installed.