Since this <b>is</b> the OT Forum, I guess I don't need to put OT in the Subject line anymore.

Our home computer got spammed/hacked, who knows? So, the Chief (wife) went out and bought Symantic Firewall software. She <i>heard</i> that if you have a firewall the spammer/hacker will have a harder time getting into your computer. She got this firewall s/w because we already have Norton Anti-virus and she wanted to use stuff from the same company.

Now, we don't have a network at home just the one computer, on dial-up. Don't have firewall hardware. Since I do all my surfing from work I have the luxury of every anti this or that hardware and software known to man to protect our Network.

I'm a bit skeptical that this software will help us reduce the possibility of someone getting into our stuff. What happens is, if Chief is creating a Word document, all of a sudden the computer devils take over and start typing right over the open doc. Don't know how this happens - but she's got the software now, Man, so watch out!

Will this firewall s/w do us any good? It already has a disclaimer on the box saying that it cannot protect against stuff coming in from Hot Mail or Yahoo. Of course, older daughter has Yahoo Mail and younger daughter has a Hot Mail account...

Are we doomed? I need help and advise from one of the 500 IT folks here at SMC.