# Why is using a constant virus scanner on my PC such a big deal? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 24, 2010, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-using-a-constant-virus-scanner-on-my-pc-such-a-big-deal/530332 "2010-02-24T23:49:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-using-a-constant-virus-scanner-on-my-pc-such-a-big-deal/530332/21 "2010-02-26T06:53:47Z")
Not to mention how many of my friends kept sending me “Hey, this is the file which you have requested” or “Look, a nude picture of me!” kind of emails…I may not have a problem, but there are other people who definitely do have problems with viruses. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-using-a-constant-virus-scanner-on-my-pc-such-a-big-deal/530332/22 "2010-02-26T19:04:28Z")
> [@Merneith](#): > > I would guess that you have a friend or family member - someone who emails you regularly - who doesn’t know that his computer is infected and who keeps sending you toxic sludge. I don’t get emailed regularly at all. My parents sometimes send me interesting articles, I have to clear up a few things with a professor, my psychiatrist wants to know if I’ve had any recent breakdowns. That’s pretty much it. They don’t send me attachments, and I only send personal photos and documents. It’s probably aliens. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-using-a-constant-virus-scanner-on-my-pc-such-a-big-deal/530332/23 "2010-03-02T15:53:43Z")
Okay, here’s what I’m talking about. I turn on a computer at school, post something on the Straight Dope, and I get a pop-up saying that the anti-virus system is dealing with about twenty “bloodhound.ex” attacks. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-using-a-constant-virus-scanner-on-my-pc-such-a-big-deal/530332/24 "2010-03-03T17:24:24Z")
I run AV at work because I don’t want to be responsible for passing on viruses to customers, but at home I’ve never run AV. I keep my firewall well maintained and I guess just know how to avoid bad files. If I am suspicious of something I’ll use this online virus scan, which scans the file with many different scanners: [http://virusscan.jotti.org](http://virusscan.jotti.org) That way I don’t have to subject my system to AV software, which is almost a sort of virus itself! ---
**Author:** ![nivlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-using-a-constant-virus-scanner-on-my-pc-such-a-big-deal/530332/25 "2010-03-03T17:55:23Z")
I used to be more blasé about viruses, but after getting a rootkit virus a couple of times (one requiring a reformat of my drive), I don’t mind having an active anti-virus/malware detector. I think it’s like saying why do I need health insurance when I never get sick? ---
**Author:** ![Perciful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Perciful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Perciful)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-using-a-constant-virus-scanner-on-my-pc-such-a-big-deal/530332/26 "2010-03-04T03:37:47Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > Because it is the equivalent of having unprotected sex with hookers and then screwing everyone you know in their sleep. It’s true. I don’t know who your ISP is but Comcast provides free McAfee protection as part of the package. Are you sure you don’t have it through your ISP? My mom didn’t have it and ended up paying 300 bucks to the Geek Squad to repair her computer and install anti virus software. Your taking a big risk especially if you or someone in your home surfs porn. There are loads of viruses from those sites. I have mine set to scan in the middle of the night and it has deleted several. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-using-a-constant-virus-scanner-on-my-pc-such-a-big-deal/530332.md?page=1)