Klarinet Archive - Posting 000459.txt from 2005/04

From: Roger Hewitt <rogerclarinet@-----.uk>
Subj: [kl] Linux vs Windows (was Paypal virus, etc)
Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 18:21:54 -0400


--- rob <roomberg@-----.net> wrote:
-- snip --
> Do you lock your doors in your car when you go to the mall?

Yes, and it means that you don't just get in the car and go, you have
to unlock and put the keys in the ignition and start the engine - the
overhead of an antivirus is jus exactly the same.

> Think of it like this. Running windows is like leaving your keys in
> your
> car at the mall, with the doors unlocked
> and engine running.

Not really - Windows does not automatically open all my emails for me
and download and open all the attachments. If I get an email from an
unknown source I more than likely just delete it unopened. (And turn
off the Preview pane in Outlook!!). My main email is web-based, so it
is pretty difficult to get viruses from there (Yahoo always virus
checks everything first anyway and if it doesn't like an attachment you
can't persuade Yahoo to download it!)

> Linux is more like a locked car. Bad guys can break in but they need
> to
> work on it a lot more that you leaving the
> door open, engine running , and a big sign that says "STEAL THIS
> CAR".
>

It's more that Linux is the car that has better locks and that nobody
wants to steal (at the moment), not that it's not stealable.

> I'm a musician for the fun of it.
> I like to record on the PC and play ensemble music.
>
> I was a computer progammer for 20 years till retired.
> I've seen it all.

Me too - 25 years.

> Now that we do have something better than microsoft and for free, I
> thought sharing would be the right thing to do.
>
> Considering that every one of you that runs microsoft is CONSTANTLY
> SHARING virus laden email
> and sometimes you don't even know it.

I'm not and I am absolutely sure that I am not, so count me out!

>
> Some viruses are written in Visual Basic.
> The code is actually VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) code
> associated
> with the "document.open" method. You can see the code by going into
> the
> Visual Basic editor.
> This is the case with the Malissa virus.
>
> Linux does not know how to run Visual Basic.

Yet. I don't know, but is it not built into a wordprocessor and/or
spreadsheet by now as in Microsoft look-alike? You may be right, for
now.

> Its back to that I don't know Russion so I don't understand Russian.
> Same thing with scores of viruses written for windows PCs so if you
> run
> Linux you are never affected by those attacks.
>

You will be ...

> Its up to you to figure out how to make your life better.
> I use Linux and suggest you do also.
>
> Rob
>
I personally don't like Linux all that much and I gather it isn't easy
to run Sibelius on Linux without using a Windows emulator, so I run
Windows, with Norton AV & Firewall, and anti-spyware/adware, all with
Auto Updates switched on. It may be a bit slower, but it's still loads
faster than it was only a year or two ago (faster computer, faster
line-speed, ...) and a bit of common sense reduces the risks even
further. I'm happy and secure.

Don't get me wrong: I think Linux is a good product and has many
advantages over Windows - if you prefer Linux that's good and you will
be safer for now. Linux will improve more and more (probably more than
Windows will) and I may well prefer Linux before too long.

Roger H

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