Hi Jenni,
If you are not using it, you don't need it activated and if you are on a network that needs it , you should have some sort of 'firewall'program .
Client for networking can allow other computers to access yours when it is connected to a network and the internet is a network that all kinds of people have access to. Most of them are not interested in accessing your computer, don't know that it is possible or don't know how, but you never know for sure.
Bob
[This message has been edited by bd (edited 01-27-2001).]