Peter, you can pick up a virus from email by opening attachments, but not by reading the message. It used to be that a web site was safe, but they are finding out that nasty operaters and hackers can attack your computer from a website and totally mess things up for you. You should always have a firewall installed on your computer when you go out on the web. Windows XP has one built in, but others can buy a commercial product or use a free one, like ZoneAlarm, which is available at their website. Also, make sure your email provider scans any incoming mail for bugs, like Hotmail does.