On the subject of viruses, spyware, etc., I'll second Spence's
suggestion that you make your next computer a Macintosh [050303
MMDigest].  In fifteen years of using a Mac I've never had any virus
whatever, despite never running any anti-virus software, while my
brother just threw away his second Windows box because it was so
clogged up with them that he despaired of ever getting it running
right again.

If you don't know, Macs can run Windows programs just as well as PCs,
if you insist, and Apple has now made it exceedingly easy to switch
over with its new Mac Mini, designed for just that.  Despite its small
size the Mac Mini, which sells for around $500, is a full-blown Power
Mac G4, and it comes without a monitor or keyboard so that you can
plug your old ones into it, after you unplug and toss out your old
IBM/Windows box.

Tom Baker