Give a novice admin access and you have no security! ( Thus the outrage over Lindows default admin only setup by people who know better.)
Linux cloned the Unix environment which early on was a multi user networked environment, used by many universities where students could wreak havoc. Many design decisions were made to improve security early on.
Microsoft? Hey lets give our browser, email and applications the ability to install any software at any time from anywhere on the net without the user even knowing about it. That would be cool huh?
Overall it boils down to a corporate culture problem at Microsoft:
What percentage of programmers who "get" linux/unix would ever want to work there?
What percentage of engineering decisions are made by "Pointy Haired Bosses" instead of programmers with real experience?
Sure, now that linux is giving MS hearburn in the security pocketbook, they are changing, but that's what they do well, and why they succeed. Remember how fast Bill Gates switched from "The Internet is for loosers" to "We Invented the Internet" ?
At least with competition MS are forced to start cleaning up the massive mess they have made of network computing.
Not only that, but they (MS) actively broke Netscape on both the server and client side on a continual basis, threatened their customers (doesn't anyone remember that MS actually lost the antitrust lawsuit?).
The only innovation I can think of was when they added the ability to install viruses from the browser and email. Nice.
That's one serious difference, you can turn off Java and Javascript in all the browsers, but when you do it to IE, you kill all the other Microsoft apps that also use scripting, which leads you to turn it back on and leave it.
You've obviously never heard of "Red Hat" linux. This is a Chinese government sponsored distribution of linux that would include native language support, among other things.
Also, the restriction was on purchasing, not using, I presume. Free software would not be an issue I would think..
This is an issue that's always percolating in my mind. One group says - here is a useful theory, look at all the stuff we successfully predicted, and look, here is the source, have a look, try it yourself, fix the errors. The other group says - here is the way the universe is. Trust us. Have faith.
Science is a tool to predict things. That's it. There is no need for an "official" "science is this" sentence.
Evolution predicts that we can study animals and learn something about ourselves. The whole genetics field is centered on this.
Ah, but on slashdot I'm preaching to the converted anyhow...
Hard drives are cheap, deltas are slow (doesn't that seem like the roses are red thing?) besides, you can bet that git will turn from a quick LT hack into a full blown system within weeks, as a horde of programmers take it apart and put it back together. What gits me is - wow, are there really that many patches coming in? Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen:(
Sadly, I wish it was an obvious joke, but I've seen far too many comments from people who beleive otherwise:( You have a point tho, this being slashdot, most of us are probably not in this category!
Yeah, but you only need a virus scanner if you are using windows!!
That's like the developer I know who wouldn't consider switching to ultrastable CVS because it didn't have a "repair corrupted database" feature like Source (un)Safe from Microsoft..
Sorry, off topic, but I can't let this comment slip by unchallenged: Any idea how many innocent (and not so innocent yes) Iraqi citizens have died as a result of US actions? Get your head out of the sand man!
Last time they were preaching a view that was so far out of touch Bill Gates turned on a dime and went from claiming the internet was only for geeks, pornographers and terrorists - to announcing they were going to rewrite everything they had to take over the internet. They almost succeeded.
This time, I think they are cornered, and even more out of touch with reality!
Mean Time Between Failure - that's the real difference.
I've been battling a VX2 variant on the family PC for a few days, and saw this slashdot item, so, I downloaded and tried out this "New Microsoft" antispyware - nope, it can't even see the VX2 beasty running. Adaware can see it but fails to kill it (when adaware pulls the trigger, explorer.exe reloads, and the beast is right back in action). Spybot can't see it, neither does avast. I have my kids trained to avoid risky computing behavior, but my neices came over last week and.... Sigh...
Lots of "windows only" users I know are afraid of free software, and assume it must have viruses and trojans installed.
FOSS on windows can act as an emissary to show the vast majority of users just how good it will be. I believe it does and will entice more users to use cross platform open software, then it's a minor step for someone to dump windows to something more robust.
A similar sort of trend is happening: apparently 17% of Ipod users are so impressed, they go out and buy a Mac, thus the Ipod is opening new doors for Apple in general.
Besides, I am forced to use windows at work, but at least I can install Openoffice, Thunderbird, Firefox and Cygwin. Don't take that away!!
I don't doubt there is some percentage of truth in what you're saying, but the image of chinese laborers cowering in their factories as the armies goose-step by does not at all match with my personal experiences last year in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Hangzou, Souzho and Beijing.
Western propaganda had me fully expecting a dreary third world experience in mainland China, so I was very surprised that what I saw was without exception a happy population in cities that make Vancouver look dingy and behind the times. Teens in modern clothing with cellphones hanging out at Pizza Hut and KFC, Skyscrapers going up everywhere, road rebuilding all over, shiny new European cars all over the place, and an incredible freindly population.
The electronics engineers I met (thru the work I was doing there) were very friendly and obviously happy with the new prosperity they were experiencing. Now, granted I have heard that the non-coastal areas are where you'd find the real problems of poverty and environmental disasters etc. but not having seen that personally I'm not going to pretend to know how it really is, and I don't automatically trust the broadcast media to give an honest portrayal of what it's really like.
My personal opinion is that China has realized that they can not raise their country out of poverty without shifting to a market economy, and they are proceeding to do just that, probably making lots of mistakes along the way that none of us would agree with. How do you suggest they pull 1.3 billion people from the dark ages into the modern world?
By the slashdot poll, a majority of you are as disgusted with the results as I am, you have some choices. Instead of moving to Canada (by all means come on up!) why not help spread the internet into that large block of red states in the middle of the USA, help reduce the ignorance? Free wireless web terminals for farmers and ranchers? You have to reach out to those people! Any stats on Internet usage between Republicans and Democrats? Imagine your opinion of the Iraq war if your only real source of news was the American Broadcast media?
Slashdot Mirror
Oh, wait I don't browse as root already!
Guess it can't access "all" the files on my system then, can it?
I'd agree that a fully patched and protected Windows server is about as secure as a default install of a Slackware server
The difference is the Slackware machinbe won't become a security problem when a user sits down and starts surfing the web.
As many point out, novice users with IE/Outlook are the main entry point for windows viruses.
Hey, perhaps someone could set up a public test:
Set up an internet cafe with say 10 XP machines, fully loaded for virus bear and 10 Linux Machines,
Then keep a live scorecard for how long all 20 machines keep clean and functioning. Let Vegas in on this, and place your bets!
Or hey, do it as a docu-tainment independent video similar to "supersize me"...
Hey Cringely, there's an idea for your new downloadable TV show!
Well that's exactly the point isn't it?
Give a novice admin access and you have no security! ( Thus the outrage over Lindows default admin only setup by people who know better.)
Linux cloned the Unix environment which early on was a multi user networked environment, used by many universities where students could wreak havoc. Many design decisions were made to improve security early on.
Microsoft? Hey lets give our browser, email and applications the ability to install any software
at any time from anywhere on the net without the user even knowing about it. That would be cool huh?
Overall it boils down to a corporate culture problem at Microsoft:
What percentage of programmers who "get" linux/unix would ever want to work there?
What percentage of engineering decisions are made by "Pointy Haired Bosses" instead of programmers with real experience?
Sure, now that linux is giving MS hearburn in the security pocketbook, they are changing, but that's what they do well, and why they succeed. Remember how fast Bill Gates switched from "The Internet is for loosers" to "We Invented the Internet" ?
At least with competition MS are forced to start cleaning up the massive mess they have made of network computing.
Not only that, but they (MS) actively broke Netscape on both the server and client side on a continual basis, threatened their customers (doesn't anyone remember that MS actually lost the antitrust lawsuit?).
The only innovation I can think of was when they added the ability to install viruses from the browser and email. Nice.
That's one serious difference, you can turn off Java and Javascript in all the browsers, but when you do it to IE, you kill all the other Microsoft apps that also use scripting, which leads you to turn it back on and leave it.
You've obviously never heard of "Red Hat" linux.
This is a Chinese government sponsored distribution of linux that would include native language support, among other things.
Also, the restriction was on purchasing, not using,
I presume. Free software would not be an issue I would think..
so slashdot doesn't give him the bucket load of hits?
AT leaST hE DOesN'T Seem tO HaVE A BROkEn CapSLOck
kEy AnYmOrE. That was really irritating.
No, science includes testing theories. It's amazing how many people don't get this, but then they're likely products of a flawed education system.
This is an issue that's always percolating in my mind. One group says - here is a useful theory, look at all the stuff we successfully predicted, and look, here is the source, have a look, try it yourself, fix the errors.
The other group says - here is the way the universe is. Trust us. Have faith.
Science is a tool to predict things. That's it. There is no need for an "official" "science is this" sentence.
Evolution predicts that we can study animals and learn something about ourselves. The whole genetics field is centered on this.
Ah, but on slashdot I'm preaching to the converted anyhow...
Open collaboration so obviously wins!
Hard drives are cheap, :(
deltas are slow
(doesn't that seem like the roses are red thing?)
besides, you can bet that git will turn from a quick LT hack into a full blown system within weeks, as a horde of programmers take it apart and put it back together.
What gits me is - wow, are there really that many patches coming in? Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen
Well, there's two kinds of people,
those who divide the world into two kinds of people,
and those who don't....
Anyone out there not know that google uses a massively parallel linux network? Preaching to the converted on slashdot again..
Sadly, I wish it was an obvious joke, but I've seen far too many comments from people who beleive otherwise :(
You have a point tho, this being slashdot, most of us are probably not in this category!
Yeah, but you only need a virus scanner if you are using windows!!
That's like the developer I know who wouldn't consider switching to ultrastable CVS because it didn't have a "repair corrupted database" feature like Source (un)Safe from Microsoft..
40 Billion flies can't be wrong...
Sorry, off topic, but I can't let this comment slip by unchallenged:
Any idea how many innocent (and not so innocent yes) Iraqi citizens have died as a result of US actions?
Get your head out of the sand man!
Last time they were preaching a view that was so far out of touch Bill Gates turned on a dime and went from claiming the internet was only for geeks, pornographers and terrorists - to announcing they were going to rewrite everything they had to take over the internet. They almost succeeded.
This time, I think they are cornered, and even more out of touch with reality!
Mean Time Between Failure - that's the real difference.
The same logic used when they added this same capability to email. Remember when it used to be safe to receive email?
"Wouldn't it be nice if I could password protect my operating system files?"
Gord Wait
I've been battling a VX2 variant on the family PC for a few days, and saw this slashdot item,
so, I downloaded and tried out this "New Microsoft" antispyware - nope, it can't even see the VX2 beasty running.
Adaware can see it but fails to kill it (when adaware pulls the trigger, explorer.exe reloads, and the beast is right back in action).
Spybot can't see it, neither does avast.
I have my kids trained to avoid risky computing
behavior, but my neices came over last week and....
Sigh...
On a related note, cold fusion stocks suddenly picked up today...
Lots of "windows only" users I know are afraid of free software, and assume it must have viruses and trojans installed.
FOSS on windows can act as an emissary to show the vast majority of users just how good it will be.
I believe it does and will entice more users to use cross platform open software, then it's a minor step for someone to dump windows to something more robust.
A similar sort of trend is happening: apparently 17% of Ipod users are so impressed, they go out and buy a Mac, thus the Ipod is opening new doors for Apple in general.
Besides, I am forced to use windows at work, but at least I can install Openoffice, Thunderbird, Firefox and Cygwin.
Don't take that away!!
I don't doubt there is some percentage of truth
in what you're saying, but the image of chinese laborers cowering in their factories as the armies goose-step by does not at all match with my personal experiences last year in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Hangzou, Souzho and Beijing.
Western propaganda had me fully expecting a dreary third world experience in mainland China, so I was very surprised that what I saw was without exception a happy population in cities that make Vancouver look dingy and behind the times. Teens in modern clothing with cellphones hanging out at Pizza Hut and KFC, Skyscrapers going up everywhere, road rebuilding all over, shiny new European cars all over the place, and an incredible freindly population.
The electronics engineers I met (thru the work I was doing there) were very friendly and obviously happy with the new prosperity they were experiencing.
Now, granted I have heard that the non-coastal areas are where you'd find the real problems of poverty and environmental disasters etc. but not having seen that personally I'm not going to pretend to know how it really is, and I don't automatically trust the broadcast media to give an honest portrayal of what it's really like.
My personal opinion is that China has realized that they can not raise their country out of poverty without shifting to a market economy, and
they are proceeding to do just that, probably making lots of mistakes along the way that none of us would agree with.
How do you suggest they pull 1.3 billion people from the dark ages into the modern world?
By the slashdot poll, a majority of you are as disgusted with the results as I am, you have some choices. Instead of moving to Canada (by all means come on up!) why not help spread the internet into that large block of red states in the middle of the USA, help reduce the ignorance? Free wireless web terminals for farmers and ranchers? You have to reach out to those people! Any stats on Internet usage between Republicans and Democrats?
Imagine your opinion of the Iraq war if your only real source of news was the American Broadcast media?
Those OS patches will likely become part of the AV monthly fee..
http://www.aardman.com/wallaceandgromit/feathers.a sp
Take off the rubber glove, fatten him up a bit??