Um, well, because that's their job? Remember that the ISP tech is, well, a tech, and they're just following a script given to them by their manager at the ISP. I agree that it shouldn't be necessary, but I've had ISPs in the past tell me that they NEED a windows computer in the household from which can install their "internet software". Uh, sure... was my response, even though I don't have a single windows machine. As previously suggested, I gave him a virtualbox running Windows XP and he went ahead and installed Norton and some other garbage on it. After he left I nuked the VM & I am still up and running, years later.