What is good now will be superceded in twelve months time by something else.

This is kind of the wrong forum to ask, actually, as the advice will tend strongly towards "Don't use Windows on the 'net", as you've seen. If you *must* keep a Windows desktop, the best device is a hardware firewall, and don't use IE or Outlook. This is almost idiotically simple, but it works very well.

If you can't use a hardware firewall, then Windows own firewall isn't too shabby. By which I mean it really is better than nothing. I can't give you any more specific advice than that, as my computing practices mean I do not need such a product.

Another approach is simply to be prepared to do a wipe-install cycle whenever things go pear-shaped.

Wade.