Abraxas
8
I have been using email on Linux for five years without encountering a virus.
Spam, of course, but I put them on a Blacklist to be deleted so no problem. Not that Spam in Linux is a problem except as 'FWF' says in the sense of Social Engineering. Important obviously to realise the executable file in Windows is the weak point that Malware exploits.
I believe real time scanning is unnecessary, and a waste of computer resources, but if you still feel it's necessary, there are AVs that provide it- for a price.
I agree. I'd rather the Processing power be used on my programmes, not an AV.
I feel the greatest threat is to a User account, not the OS.
Someone knowledgeable can hack into your user account if you use root privilidges online, that's as far as a threat we encounter at this time I believe.
However as Linux gains popularity (as a Desktop System) which may take years, decades, the market orientated coders of Malware will start taking further interest in cracking open the chinks in it's Armour. ;)