Yes and no. Windows 8 (and presumably Windows 8.1) now comes bundled with anti-virus software: Windows Defender (what was a separate download for previous editions of Windows: Microsoft Security Essentials). So it's not really that you don't need it, it's that you might already have it.

Who has his programming pc online anyways ?

Its kinda hard to push and pull changes from online repositories without internet.

Ran across something like this before. My guess is the AV detects that the executable has been altered (by recompiling) and triggers a warning.

Who has his programming pc online anyways ?

Really?

The only places where I've heard of development PC's not being online was inside the defence sector, when working with top secret IP.

These people still had a second 'safe' PC though, which they could use to access information from the web.

I do, for example. What's wrong with being connected to the internet as such? It's not like you couldn't make a modern system secure against intrusion from outside (even Windows can be made secure).

It's the stuff you download and execute you have to worry about, but then again it's not any more dangerous than anything you install/execute off a CDROM or an USB stick.

I guess we find out in 10 years,

look to how unsafe Windows XP is now, that Microsoft themselfs willing to forbid everyone to use it.

Look if your current Windows is still unsafe after they are not supporting it anymore ?

Really?

The only places where I've heard of development PC's not being online was inside the defence sector, when working with top secret IP.

These people still had a second 'safe' PC though, which they could use to access information from the web.

I know people go online because they need the updates.

Suppose you are working on your game engine 10 years, are you still going online with the risk someone gets your work in 1 second ?

+ there are so many virusses, they need a whitelist instead of a blacklist, times changes.

What is worse : a virus scanner , or a virus ?

they both do the same : using your pc power, uploading your files to the internet, searching in your pc, request you to pay.

I do, for example. What's wrong with being connected to the internet as such? It's not like you couldn't make a modern system secure against intrusion from outside (even Windows can be made secure).

It's the stuff you download and execute you have to worry about, but then again it's not any more dangerous than anything you install/execute off a CDROM or an USB stick.

I guess we find out in 10 years,

look to how unsafe Windows XP is now, that Microsoft themselfs willing to forbid everyone to use it.

Look if your current Windows is still unsafe after they are not supporting it anymore ?

Really?

The only places where I've heard of development PC's not being online was inside the defence sector, when working with top secret IP.

These people still had a second 'safe' PC though, which they could use to access information from the web.

I know people go online because they need the updates.

Suppose you are working on your game engine 10 years, are you still going online with the risk someone gets your work in 1 second ?

+ there are so many virusses, they need a whitelist instead of a blacklist, times changes.

What is worse : a virus scanner , or a virus ?

they both do the same : using your pc power, uploading your files to the internet, searching in your pc, request you to pay.

Wow... you're living up to your profile name.

I guess we find out in 10 years,

look to how unsafe Windows XP is now, that Microsoft themselfs willing to forbid everyone to use it.

Look if your current Windows is still unsafe after they are not supporting it anymore ?

I've had Windows XP in use for 11 1/2 years, permanently connected to the internet. Not had one issue during that time. Updated to Windows 7 after that, and got no problem since.

Windows 8 is total shit, but for other reasons (using it on my tablet). As for virus/intrusion, none seen so far under Win8 either.

Had Linux servers online 24/7 with uptime dating to the mid-1990s, no single issue.

Threat is widely overrated. Unless you either run badly configured server software with well-known exploits, preferrably on a high-profile site, or unless you download a lot of crap on your work PC, no such thing as being infected or exploited will likely happen. A somewhat sane setup with somewhat sane filesystem/user permissions will fend off 99.999% of the crap. A simple stateful firewall that isolates your work computer from the internet simply by not allowing incoming connections (such as is built into every router!) will prevent 99.99% of all attacks before they even begin. The only thing it really can't prevent is you being stupid and downloading/executing something. But it also can't prevent you from inserting a CDROM that contains malware... so really... what's the matter.

If it was not unsafe they would not sell a new Windows version or what ?

Not to talk about NSA stuff ( Microsoft is American company ).

So for me its clear, cannot be trusted with your stuff.

Wow... you're living up to your profile name.

I just read all this, its not that i am a expert on security or something, i have my pc offline anyways so i dont have to care about it.

I,m just reading www.security.nl

greetings

You don't have a cell phone and a passport, do you? And most certainly you do not use any money?

Because you know, if it's them you're afraid of, you should be aware that there's more of your life that is being controlled every day than the 3 porn movies you got on your computer.

I dont have em : i am smart myself so i dont need a smart Phone.

Smart just means : privacy infringing.

I dont need a passport to, else i am in some American killer robots database in the year 2020 wich uses the photo for facial recognition.

Cash money however i do have.