Why would anyone NOT use an AV program?

A: The person has Ubuntu or a Mac

B: Highly Optimistic/Spiritual

C: Hacker using Hacking Software(They know the nitty gritty)

D: Nerd like me who hasn't been infected with anything for 3 years.

E: Has HostsMan

1

If you know exactly what you are doing and whats on your computer and how to set it up right you have no need for it. Most anti virus software slows down a computer. Most of the viruses out there at the moment are more of an annoyance then anything. You can browse the internet safely if you have your browser set up right. I went years without a AV program and never had a problem. I got some security scan virus a few times but was able to remove it easily. I got annoyed after the 2nd time and installed AVG and the same virus still came through down the road. Then I tried McAfee and same thing it still got though. After that I went back to no AV software.

Because people are stupid and think you have to download stuff or go to shady sites to get viruses. If you leave a computer with an unpatched windows xp os on it. The computer will be infected with a virus within an hour, even if you dont use the internet, you can be infected from just being connected to the internet.

As long as you're careful about where you go on the Internet, and avoid anything dodgy looking, its actually quite rare to see viruses. I do run a virus scanner as a safeguard, but in over a year its not found a single problem.

EDIT

Reading some of the answers below, which I suspect may be in response to this, I should also say that my computer sits behind a router, which does provide an additional layer of protection as a firewall.

Nobody would want to use the internet without a good antivirus program, but EVERYBODY would want to use a computer without a rogue antivirus program. There are real antivirus programs like Webroot, Avast, AVG, Norton, McAfee (which sucks), Malwarebyes, Spybot S&D, and lots more. Then, there are rogue antivirus programs which look like antivirus programs. They are complete scareware. On youtube, see one called Windows Police Pro. Search "How Windows Police Pro infects your computer" click the first one.

Other than saving up memory, I don't see any reason why a person wouldn't want to use antivirus/antispyware/antimalware. I am a user of Webroot Antivirus with Antispyware, and it is SO SO SO SO Awesome!

Chances of anyone getting a virus does depend on the sites they visit. For example if an older person just uses e-mail with close friends, checks the news on CNN and looks at the weather channel. Chances of them recieving a virus are minimal, expecially if they have a modern operating system.

But for anyone that dares to venture further, its best they have an AV program.

Cheers

Simple, they aren't using Windows and/or have proper user restrictions set in place (not running as root).

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Once again I will point it out, USER RESTRICTIONS. It is the difference between a trojan being able to download and install itself on to your computer, or just download and do nothing. Malware needs to be installed to cause any damage, if you take that away, then it can't do anything; Limited user accounts do not allow the installation of software. Now do you get it?

Mac and other Unix-like operating systems are set to have all accounts as limited user from the get-go. Installing software on these operating systems requires the user to log-in as root or have sudo privileges. Sudo privileges basically allow for the temporary performance of administrator tasks, but it also requires a password.

I don't recommend doing it, but if using Vista or 7, its not all that difficult to not run any av software and have no trouble.

A better Q would be: "Knowing how badly broken Windows is, why would anyone continue to use it?"