Do internet users actually help themselves?

[preacher]

I was looking online about the new sobig.f virus going around and found an article based from Birmingham.

Part of the article is the opinion of a group Birmingham Computer Experts and states:

Birmingham computer experts yesterday condemned Internet service providers for failing to supply even basic security advice that could have halted the virus attack.

What I want to know (as a Technical Support Agent for a large ISP) is do the 'general public' actually know the basics of protecting their computers?

Many a time I have had someone call me at work complaining about a virus they have picked up and it always goes the same way.

Do they have any anti-virus software - no.......!
Or sometimes they do but have never updated it!!!

So what makes it the role of an Internet Service Provider to explain security to a person?

I bought a house a few weeks ago and would not have expected the mortgage company to say "Don't forget a burglar alarm, oh and a fire extinguisher....and you might want an extra copy of your front door key incase you lose yours"!

The fact is....if you buy a computer, you learn how to protect it...heck, if you buy a car, you learn how to drive!

Why is it that people, whom are usually perfectly intelligent people, become complete muppets when it comes to PC's?

If their printer dies, they try to reinstall their ISP's internet disk.......why???
I find it very difficult to lower my IQ to such a level as to make that decision appropriate!

So what I want to know is.....those of you who have got PC's, be it having had it for years or having just bought it purely for this ISP, know what you need to make it secure AND do you feel it is the role of the ISP to make sure you are protected??