snafumaster said:
You don't need to download anything to recieve trojan horse and spyware programs. Usually they come by way of cookies.
Cookies aren't executable; you can't get anything like spyware or viruses from them. See the
Cookie FAQ, especially 2.4 (Are Cookies Dangerous?).
Being selective about cookies (which I do when I remember to) isn't about security as much as it's about privacy. By blocking a cookie from Amazon.com, the only thing you do is keep them from knowing that your computer has visited them before (and some similar information like what you've searched for, etc).
I don't have any problem with messing around with cookies, but you should know what its proper role is. Cookies don't have a lot to do with security, and if you're trying to secure windows there are better ways to spend your time.
BTW Sniper_83, very few people run
Lunix, and I doubt that any use it as their main OS. You're probably thinking of the more popular Linux.
If your excuse for not switching is anything except games, you don't have an excuse. Drop by the Alt OS forum, find out how to dual boot between windows and Linux, and see if you haven't killed windows (on purpose, of course) by September. The freedom and openness of Linux is uncannily addictive.