Even if you aren't a serious computer user you still need to protect your computer. Pretty much all computers that are connected to the internet should at the VERY LEAST have Anti-virus and Anti-Spyware software on their computers. Don't want to pay for that? NO PROBLEM! Check out the LINKS page and you will see a number of different free Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware programs.
Even if you have an Anti-Virus/Anti-Spyware program on your computer, if you don't keep it up to date you are just begging for problems. I usually do updates every week just to make sure everything is current. Things to check for updates: Windows, anti-virus software, spyware software, trojan software. As long as those are all up to date you should be laughing. To update Windows just go to the website or in Internet Explorer click on 'tools' - then 'windows update' and just follow the online instructions and that will keep you protected. The other programs, Anti-virus/Anti-Spyware, will have ways of updating themselves. Most of them will have options that let you update them manually or automatically.
Even if you do know the people if you think the email looks a little weird and you don't feel comfortable opening it DONT!! Just delete it. Also the same goes for MSN messenger links. There are a number of viruses that are going around the internet through MSN Messenger. You will get a message from someone that just contains a link that typically makes no sense. If you click on it you will not be going to a website you will actually be loading the virus on your computer. The people that are sending you these have been infected and typically will not know they have ever sent these to you. Best bet is just to send them an email or a messenger message that says they might be infected and will want to scan their computer for viruses.
A large number of viruses are going around the internet through file sharing programs and networks like Kazaa, WinMX, Gnutella. The way these programs work is that you are not downloading these files from some website or from the record company you are actually downloading them from other peoples computers. With these programs you are literally taking candy from a stranger. If you are trying to download the new Paris Hilton video (Thats HOT) you have no way of knowing if you are downloading that or a virus. The only way of telling is to scan the file once it is downloaded with an Anti-Virus/Anti-Trojan program.