I'd honestly like to know how you can "safely copy files" with Explorer.
You know a lot of viruses, you don't know all the viruses. How can you discount the possibility that, one day, the USB interface itself will be subverted to spread viruses ?
> the USB interface itself will be subverted to spread viruses ?
It can. But then I would know about it as soon the AV companies know. And I can take the precaution accordingly. If that is a zero day [remote] exploit, then I am toast, with or without anti virus.
The point is: anti-viruses would probably make me 10% more secure over what I already am. Therefore it's not worth it when one considers its cons.
If you really can enjoy the same level of semi-instantaneous knowledge of "virusdom" as AV companies, then you're the 0.00001% of the population. Your solution simply doesn't scale in the real world.
You know a lot of viruses, you don't know all the viruses. How can you discount the possibility that, one day, the USB interface itself will be subverted to spread viruses ?