My take...
1: There are more WinXX exploits because there are more WinXX systems out there. This doesn't hold up. Recent figures I saw mentioned the figure of 64000 known windows exploits or viruses etc., many of which are non-trivial. On that basis there should be about 2000 Macintosh exploits etc around. In fact there are dramatically fewer than that, as any Mac user will tell you. I'm not aware of any significant, current Mac virus. I don't know how many Linux exploits/viruses are around, but again, dramatically fewer than the proportions should suggest. I've been on-line 24/7 for nearly 8 years and I've been cracked once, and that about 6 years ago. I am NOT a hard core geek. I just do basic installs. 2: Linux users are hard core geeks, that's why they don't get viruses. Doesn't hold up either. See note above about Macintosh! If any computer user is NOT a hard core geek it's a Mac user :-) 3: Windows exploits are only because of idiot windows users I'm sure GMH would be sued if it turned out the brakes required an automotive engineering degree before you could drive the car. It's perfectly reasonable to expect a system to be designed so that a typical user will not get burned. 4: Windows viruses are mostly Outlook viruses True. I always tell any Windows user to start by throwing away Outlook. That solves most of the problems. Eudora seems to work ok, although of course you can still get viruses if you do "the wrong thing". 5: Windows viruses can be easily avoided by changing configuration True, but when the marketing department leads the security department around by the nose, you can be sure that disaster is close behind. If there is a choice of more secure or less secure configurations, and the default set up by the supplier is the insecure one, then I would suggest that the supplier is culpable. I'm amazed nobody has sued. It's not as if the problem is an obscure one. 6: I can't change from Windows.. everybody I know uses it. This is amazing but the most common reason I've been given for staying with Windows when viruses are discussed. I've survived perfectly well in a mixed Linux/Macintosh environment for years, despite all my customers and contacts using Windows. I just laugh when they get infected. 7: Are you SURE you don't get viruses? When you've been chronically sick for 10 years, it's hard to remember what it was like to be healthy. I just tell them "no, I never get viruses". 8: The problem isn't really as bad as they say it is. I love to tail -f my logs when I have someone around saying this. It's interesting to see the look of incredulity as the various IIS or other WinXX exploits pop up on the logs in real time. I just say.. "There's another one I don't have to worry about because I don't use Windows". David. On Fri, 12 Mar 2004, Doug Foskey wrote: > Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2004 22:38:07 -0500 > From: Doug Foskey <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: Grant Parnell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: [SLUG] A valid analogy. > > On another list I made the analogy of using W$ being like driving a Ferrari, > and parking it in Harlem with the keys left in it... > > Doug > > On Fri, 12 Mar 2004 02:35 am, Grant Parnell wrote: > > How about this one... > > > > It's like entering a house through the door: > > Windows OS has key locks, most virii use some variation of a lock picker. > > Unix/Linux OS have numeric key pads, a lock picker is completely useless, > > you have to use something else to break in. > > In both cases you can still stand in front of the door and not let people > > in or out. Or simply walk in if somebody leaves the door open. > > With Unix/Linux, once you're in you find other doors locked in various > > ways depending on importance. > > > > On Fri, 12 Mar 2004, Bill Bennett wrote: > > > It's a peculiar request, so please bear with me. > > > > > > I had been asked why Linux was immune to the wave of viruses > > > that have been pillaging Microsoft-oriented machines. To be > > > honest, I didn't have a ready reply. The best I could do was > > > "Well, Linux is differently organised." Feeble, I know, but the > > > enquirer was not a nurd and, if it comes to that, neither am I. > > > > > > So I thought about the matter. I wanted a good analogy. > > > > > > This was the best that came to mind: > > > > > > "Assume someone has put something in your petrol that rots > > > piston heads and only piston heads. Eventually the engine > > > will fail. > > > > > > *However* it's not going to affect me if my engine is a Wenkel." > > > > > > As I say, the best I could do. > > > > > > Can anyone do better? The issue *must* have surfaced in the past > > > and valid analogies must have been drawn for the non-technical. > > > My reason for wanting this is that, occasionally I'm asked why I > > > will not even look at, or consider going back to MS. Blinding > > > people with technicalia generally gets you nowhere. > > > > > > Bill Bennett. > > > > -- > > ---<GRiP>--- > > Electronic Hobbyist, Former Arcadia BBS nut, Occasional nudist, > > Linux Guru, SLUG/AUUG/Linux Australia member, Sydney Flashmobber, > > BMX rider, Walker, Raver & rave music lover, Big kid that refuses > > to grow up. I'd make a good family pet, take me home today! > > Do people actually read these things? > > -- > SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ > Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html > -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
