I've been using computers since the 80's. I haven't used anti-virus software since the 90's. And yes, I have been using Windows until somewhere in the 00's, including Windows 95, which is about as vulnerable as it gets.

When I was using antivirus software, it never set off any alarms once. I still occasionally install and run antivirus software, it doesn't find anything, so I remove it again. I've sat in the middle of major virus outbreaks inside companies and not be affected.

I have no idea how people manage to get infected. Every time I read about some malware scare, I look at how it spreads and think to myself "but... why would you do that?".

In the 80s we had boot sector viruses that would bite you as soon as you inserted a disk, and disks where the only way of exchanging data. You couldn't protect against those without antivirus.

But today most malware seems self-inflicted, and only spreads through naivety, ignorance and laziness.

Sure, I could still get infected tomorrow. After 25 years of computing it's bound to happen to me at some point. But it will most likely be because I did something I shouldn't have, not because I don't have adequate anti-malware protection.