The difference is that Linux restricts access by default, Windows grants it. It is true, that some (many) people login as root for convenience, and they could also install everything (although Mandrake at least questions starting some services automatically, if you do select them all). But, even so, it is still much more difficult to inflict a virus on Linux than on Windows. It is a user's responsibility to install security updates and many distributions make it relatively easy and painless. Again, as contrasted with Windows, when Microsoft actually admits a security problem (usually after someone else has gone public with it), their patches create more vulnerabilities. Hardly a good example.
In short, you are correct, you can install Linux and circumvent all the security so you have a wide open system. The key, though is that you have to take action to do so. The Microsoft alternative does it for you! Joe On 03 Jun 2002 01:56:49 +0300 Raider <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > I read this over and over again. People saying - move to Linux, move to > Linux. But have you ever thought that many of the Linux users run as > root because they are too lazy to enter the root password when needed > and complain about not having (now they have) an autologin option? > Think a minute about all those guys who pretend to be admins and still > run Apache 1.3.12 or whatever came with their old distribution even if > the upgrade is painless and it takes less clicks than a Windoze > install. If you don't believe me check the guys who run Win2k.. and see > how many give the admin rights to their "regular" account... and this is > not because of some weird setting, it is for installing and running > apps... apps like virii and trojans. > > Now, sit tight, and think a minute about how much more vulnerable and > how much more damage can a Linux box do compared with a Windoze Home > Edition. I've seen over the time all the ports opened. And the firwall > still requires some strong voodoo, at least this is how the majority > thinks. With telnet and ftp active, with an exploit, and all the > building tools installed a Linux in the hands of a script kiddy can > really create some problems, far bigger than that mail overflow provoked > by scripts like Melissa. Also keep in mind that while Windoze doesn't > give you all the networking tools, while Windoze doesn't give you any > development tool besides windoze scripting host (in case you can > consider that a development tool), while Windoze has a "typical" > install, Linux has "install all". And with the nowadays hard drives, > every moron can click on install all, because... after all... nobody > teaches them what they need and what they have to have. Everybody says > "install that and that and that, than find whichever you like and > eventually uninstall the others". > > That's about all I had to say. > Raider >
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