You may be purchasing the greatest, but it may be outdated before you get it home. For instance, you go to the store and purchase a shrink-wrapped version of anti-virus software. After the program is installed, you may think your computer will be safe from viruses. The fact of the matter is that you must hook up to the Internet and update the anti-virus software with the latest virus definitions before the computer is completely covered.  When the anti-virus software was put into the box it was up-to-date. However during the time that the software was being shipped, stocked, and sold, many new viruses were created. During that time the anti-virus manufacturer wrote instructions for detecting these new viruses, but your computer doesn’t have protection from these new viruses unless you download it from the Internet. This also applies to other software as well. After you install new software, check the manufacturer’s Web site to see if there is an updated version.