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Jim Allchin, Microsoft's co-president of Platforms and Services, is clarifying some of his earlier statements by saying that most Windows Vista users will need some form of antivirus.


During a telephone conference with reporters last week, Allchin described how the computer his seven-year-old son doesn't have antivirus software. Some media reports inferred that Vista doesn't need antivirus software, something Allchin has denied on his Microsoft Vista blog entry.


In the entry, Allchin says, "I want to be clear, most users will use some form of antivirus software, and that will be appropriate for their scenarios. In fact, Windows Security Center, a great feature in Windows Vista, specifically encourages the use of antivirus software."


According to Allchin, his son's machine is an example of how effective parental controls can be in locking down a computer. He says the machine doesn't have access to email or instant messaging and that his son cannot run as administrator. This combination allows Allchin to run without antivirus software on that machine only.


Parental controls are one of many of the new features in Windows Vista. Parents can limit the types of programs their children can use, along with the times a computer can be accessed.