Nice site Bill. :) You don't have to be part of the .net. I personally don't use it and have never been part of it. You have the power over your privacy and with simple tweaks to your browser and/or system it is possible to control any information that is destined to leave your PC. Viruses are another issue; I spend more than half of my life online, I have multiple setups constantly connected to the network. I have never been affected by a virus/Trojan or any other malicious code. The battle for security is an ongoing issue and it's a life long study. There is no such thing as a 100% secure environment when you're connected to the internet. If an individual has enough resources and determination, they will eventually be able to break into any system PC/MAC doesn't matter. Regards, Thomas.