Should i stay online?

[Polarman]

I'm planning to upgrade my current pc in the coming weeks so when i do, that means a fresh install of Windows (Thank you Nlite).

My main question is when i do, should i have my future pc connected to the internet?

Right now, we currently have 2 pc's connected to the internet trough a router. Both are fully protected and updated on a regular basis.

I'm a real single player gamer and like to have a extremely good and fast computer for this purpose. I like to have everything well tuned and optimized for

a full gaming experience. My only use for the internet would be to download patches and driver updates. I go browsing the same sites on daily basis just

to look at what's new. I figure that if i only use the internet for this purpose, i might as well do it on my wife's computer.

Why should i keep mine plugged online... Most of the updates are for security reasons and to keep internet crap out of your system. The best way for a computer

not to get infected or hijacked is not to have connected.

I'm trying to imagine booting up Windows without:

Windows Auto-update

Security Center

Windows Firewall (even if it sucks)

Windows Defender

Live Update (If you use Norton)

3rd party Anti-virus

3rd party Anti-Spyware

3rd party Anti-Malware

3rd party firewalls

E-Mail software

Live Messenger, Skype or whatever

Bit-Torrent, News, Peer to Peer or Chat software

All kinds of plugins like Java, Flash or Shockwave

All of those auto-updating on a regular basis willing or not and interfering with my gaming AAAARRRGGG...Now i'm p***ed.

Geez what a load of crap that you have to keep loaded in the backround sucking up your precious memory that your games really needs.

My wife is an average internet user and not really a gamer at all (Zuma and Puzzle games). So i could use her computer to do my little internet duties, transfer what i need

to a USB key and voila... My drivers and games are fully updated. I would only keep her computer fully protected from the big bad internet bugs.

I don't think she even cares of having 50++ processes running in the backround.

Comments welcome.

[TheFlash428]

If you're going to use NLite, visit RyanVM's Post SP2 Update Pack and integrate it during the NLite process (and any extra packs you may want). This will help to make sure your computer is up-to-date upon OS installation, as well as reduce overhead from the (now many) updates you would need to run once getting online.

I pretty much keep my computer online at all times, and I don't run any of those items you listed--but I do make sure my computer is up-to-date! I have never had an issue--you should be fine if you're only visiting a "few regular sites" on a limited basis, IMO.

[WereBo]

One way round the problem would be to set the PC up with 2 user accounts, 1 for general use, with internet connections, the 2nd account streamlined for gaming etc.

Each account is completely customisable (as far as Windows lets you), so you can set each account exactly as you want it.