QUOTE (Sporkling @ Apr 12 2008, 10:57 PM)

Not really. I mean actually burning them. Would that work better do you think?
Well that depends. If they're still active then burning them can be very dangerous, and can backfire on you. I mean, would you rather have a zombie coming at you, or a burning zombie coming at you? Eventually the zombie would 'die' in the sense that it would no longer be active, yes, but why risk setting the surrounding environment on fire when a blow to the head will be better. However, once they are unactive/killed (again), then yes, burning them would be the best thing you could do. It destroys the corpse, and the disease.
Remember, the best defense against a zombie attack is staying on the move, especially in a high-level outbreak where entire cities/countries can be overrun. Try to avoid locking yourself in if you can, and DO NOT head to any urban areas unless you absolutely have to. Urban areas is where the zombies are massed. Sure, the woods may be scary, but you'll rarely find any zombies there in case of a major outbreak. Think about it. Unless you can hold off entire hordes of the undead without much trouble, and have plenty of food and supplies to last you for up to a year (zombies will eventually decompose entirely if they have no food) then avoid locking yourself in anywhere, unless you have absolutely no way of escape. Remember, basements are the worst place you can hide unless you have a way out. No matter how strong you think the barricade on the basement entrance is, if a few zombies get in, you're screwed. If you can, get on the roof, otherwise, hold up in the highest floor but always keep the lower floors heavily barricaded.
As for escape, try to avoid water. Sure, zombies can't swim, but they can float, and possibly walk. You don't want a bunch of floating zombies to wash up on your island, or to capsize your boat. Islands may seem like a good idea to hide, and they probably are, but unless you have a way off the island, it's best to just avoid it entirely.
The biggest threat in the case of a zombie outbreak is actually not the zombie, but your fellow human. I consider myself an upstanding citizen, but even I couldn't pass up the opportunity to raid a few stores to better fit myself in the case of serious social melt-down. We all have needs and desires. So imagine what someone who ENJOYS bringing chaos will do in that situation. Always be on your guard, and don't think that just because you see a human wandering the streets during a zombie outbreak means that he is your friend. He could be an escaped convict, a serial killer, a rapist, thief, or just a really stupid person who will get you into more trouble than if you were by yourself. In most cases, having a group of people is a liability for the person in charge, so think twice before befriending anything that is still alive just because it means having company. Not all company is desired company.
Anyways, I strongly suggest anyone who is interested in the undead to pick up
The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks. It's a good read, and has survival tips that can be used in many situations even if they're not zombie-related.