does porn harm the operating system?

[Daniel teller]

I have been told that having porn on my machine can
damage the operating system. Is this true? Even if the
file,usually an mpeg or avi, and is not seen as a virus
by latest virus definitions, can it control or damage the
operating system?

For instance, with the XP firewall on and norton 2003
autoprotect running, while viewing an Avi file, my
internet explorer opened to a porn site. How is this
possible? And a few times while on the internet I had 50
internet explorer windows open and had to end task on IE
to close them. Is there a popup blocker for windows
internet explorer?

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Yes, just as watching it will make you go blind. ;-}

Seriously, whomever told you this has either a very whimsical
sense of humor, an unusually biased view of the subject matter, or
knows little or nothing about computers.

Viewing porn cannot harm your PC or operating system, per se.
However, some of the less scrupulous porn web sites do insist that you
download and install their own proprietary viewers and dialers to
access their services. In many cases, these applications, which are
downloaded and installed with the users' consent, contain, or are
accompanying by, programs that "high-jack" the browser or that contain
ad-ware and spyware.


Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH

 

[Roger Abell]

It is unwanted code that can harm the OS.
In addition to what Bruce has said :
Make sure you are up-to-date according to Windows Update,
as that will get your IE and Windows Media Player updated

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

It is unwanted code that can harm the OS.

<snip>

LOL....no, it just makes hair grow on your palms.

 

[Jon]

Oh god that has to be one of the funniest things ive ever
read. So serious too.. and no porn wont hurt your os, you
not knowing what your clicking on when it comes up and
says do you want to install sex.exe will..

Jon

 

[Roger Abell]

<snip>

LOL....no, it just makes hair grow on your palms.

I did not notice the other reading.
Guess I should have said
Unwanted code is what can harm the OS.