You sooo cannot get a virus by checking you email, helllooo

Ok in response to a recent blogger, you absolutely cannot get a virus just by checking your email. I know because I used to work as a computer help desk consultant at the Information Technology center at my college. And no, you just cannot get a virus simply by opening your email. Something has to be downloaded. Now, if you have your computer security settings set up so that you things are allowed to download automoatically when you open webpages, well then you have a problem. Basically that means that your security settings are not set up, and not only do you have a virus problem but most likely a spyware problem as well. Go to tools. Check out that you are not downloading active x controls. Check out some of the other stuff too, and make sure you are picky about what you let your internet browser do. And by the way, get something else besides internet explorer which does not have half the protection of firefox or netscape. So in conclusion a virus is downloaded, not sprung off of an email page. It does not come from text, but from a program. So no, just opening your email wont harm your computer.