I do, that way I can msn people during really boring sessions, or surf this forum !

-gil

I don't. My computer isn't even networked. When I need to update it I'll hook it into the network but other than that, I transfer stuff to it via USB thumb drive or CD.

My DAW is networked. The main reason is my CD burning happens on a different computer, so I transfer files between PCs frequently.

I sometimes browse the internet from my DAW, but I don't have AV software on that machine so I am VERY careful about where I go.

I have not had any trouble in 5 years of being setup this way.

I do and it is awesome to browse the web while you're not in session.

I have severeal PCs (including a laptop and an office machine) networked. My main A/V production computer is on the LAN, and like the rest of them, it can also go out on the web via our router and cable modem. I DO NOT share the C drive of any of them in the networking setup, but the rest are all shared. (This way, I can "see" and share drives all over the LAN for storage, etc., but one cannot get into the C drive of any of the computers. When bad things DO happen, they don't get into the OS of the computers. MOST of the time.)

We have the very highest level of protection and cookie-blocking going on for the main A/V machine, having learned the hard way. I once needed to find the author of a song a client was using for a CD booklet design, and while we were out looking at online lyric sheets, we got hit by some of the worst spam and spyware imaginable - the machine literally went nuts and bogged down right before our eyes. I immediately pulled the plug out, then rebooted - only to find it still totally looked up. We took a coffee break while I booted in safe mode and did a system restore to a few weeks prior.

Ultimately, something was amiss all along, and eventually I just wiped the C drive and re-installed everything new. (which is a great idea, btw. I highly recommend everyone reinstall their OS every few years. You'd be amazed at how fast things run when they're in tip top shape.)

I don't surf the web much on it - only to professional sites, etc. but you can never be too careful. I have it set so that it prompts me for cookies every time, or I get a warning about an unauthorized request. It's just too great a risk to have your computer crash and burn the night before a big session. I also keep a mirror image of my system's C drive on a separate HD offline now, in case the worst happens.

I read RO and other online stuff on my laptop. Much safer that way.

I have a dual boot for that. Later I'd prefer a laptop for such things and use a thumb drive to transfer any downloads to my DAW. I can't troubleshoot on my DAW with internet on in the current situation.

pr0gr4m wrote: I don't. My computer isn't even networked. When I need to update it I'll hook it into the network but other than that, I transfer stuff to it via USB thumb drive or CD.

Same here. As far as I'm concerned, the internet in the studio is a bad idea, at least if it's on the machine you're recording on.

I have always had the Internet on my DAW mostly because it's easier for me to do updates on the OS as well as download and install updates for my software and hardware.

I remember a couple of times when I had some tech problems during a session. I was able to Google the fix, download and install the update I needed quickly with minimal interruption to the session. My client seemed to appreciate that.