I have a boring security history. Before Windows XP, I was unaware of the risks, but never got infected (at least not that I was aware of). With the introduction of Windows XP I bought a PC which had XP Pro 64 bits on it and found out that there were no free AntiVirus solutions available for XP 64 bits. This is also the reason I discovered WS and MT forums (and Security.NL). Because I could not find free AV, I asked our company's system admin.
He told me to learn to run as standard user and use Software Restriction Policies and setting access control restrictions with ICACLS. Also Internet Explorer, how bad it maybe was, could be hardened with Group Policy editor. When the first free AV's became available for XP 64 bits, a few had problems updating under standard user and someone from our IT-department provided me with a sample script of applications updating at log-on. So I kept running standard user and never had a scary moment security wise.