[Rhisiart]

Given my problems with a very sick iBook, I have given thought to getting a low cost Dell PC laptop (I just can't afford a new iBook at this time).

Now having read this article, I've changed my mind.

The latest edition of the Symantec report covers the second half of 2007 during which time the security firm detected 499,811 new malicious code threats. This figure was up 136% on the first six months of 2007.

Throughout 2007 Symantec detected more than 711,912 novel threats which brings the total number of malicious programs that the security firm's anti-virus programs detect to 1,122,311.

The report notes: "almost two thirds of all malicious code threats currently detected were created during 2007."

The vast majority of these viruses are aimed at PCs running Microsoft Windows and are variants of already existing malicious programs that have proved useful to hi-tech criminals in the past.