What is Digg?518 Comments
- ToMZiLLA, on 03/10/2008, -15/+322Best Anti-Virus: Common ***** sense
- MrSarcasm, on 03/10/2008, -7/+141pffft, norton. i can't believe how people still use that.
- Cifra876, on 03/10/2008, -10/+127I for one believe teh direction in which Ubuntu is going is a pretty soound choice in comparison to Xandros or Novell...
- grumpyrain, on 03/10/2008, -1/+106Worst security design flaw: Presuming your users posses common sense.
- JK1150, on 03/10/2008, -8/+105my gameboy also doesn't get viruses, maybe i should use it as a workstation.
- inactive, on 03/10/2008, -5/+88He's a elitist. If Linux is used by the common man then his superiority complex is weakened.
- thinman1189, on 03/10/2008, -5/+83What the ***** are you talking about?
- Altanar, on 03/10/2008, -6/+58You're confusing computer knowledge with common sense. Computer security isn't obvious to anyone except people who know computers well. Not a single person in the world, having never used a computer before, will know how to avoid viruses when they start using the system.
- sonofabeast, on 03/10/2008, -1/+50Having a virus > running Norton's
- ineptsavant, on 03/10/2008, -13/+60I'd be happier if it was a box for fedora 8, but dugg because it's linux..and it's trying to reach the masses.
- dmanman, on 03/10/2008, -0/+46The philosophy attached to Linux is choice. You are the one who seems to forget...
- codyman, on 03/10/2008, -5/+44don't need norton for mac os x either... but Norton still tries to scam unknowing people by offering it for mac...
- mobbo, on 03/10/2008, -2/+36I can't tell you how many times in my PC repair career that just removing Norton (especially Norton Internet Security) has solved BSoD's and network issues. Last week as a matter of fact a woman brought in her Win XP PC and said she was unable to get an IP address. I confirmed the issue, saw the Norton icon in the system tray and decided to uninstall it. I didn't even have to reboot... as soon as it was uninstalled, the PC was able to obtain an IP address.
I'd rather have a virus than Norton. At least more interesting ***** will pop up with a virus/spyware. - schroeder, on 03/10/2008, -0/+34Norton seriously sucks. I can't tell you how many times I have people come in to my shop with fully updated and current versions of Norton products on systems that I have to pull hundreds of instances of infection out from. Not to mention all the times we get calls when Norton decides to block internet and application access for no apparent reason. McAfee is the same crap. I don't get how they are still around.
- BigManOnCampus, on 03/10/2008, -0/+25Writing a virus for linux is easy. The problem is making a virus that does any damage as the file structure has true user-level-security.
- SaxxonPike, on 03/10/2008, -3/+27...until Windows got compiled.
- norman619, on 03/10/2008, -2/+25He'd switch back to Windows or OSX if Linux became the dominant OS for this reason.
- theaceoffire, on 03/10/2008, -1/+23Ubuntu is positioning itself to be less annoying than XP and prettier than Mac.
This is a good thing. - PacketPaul, on 03/10/2008, -4/+25Hey, I am a big Linux fan but the idea that the OS is immune to viruses and worms is flat out ridiculous. The very first worm ever produced was a Un*x based worm. Robert Morris Jr. produced the first worm to infect unpatched Un*x machines in 1988. The worm effectively took down the internet and made national news, at a time when most people had never heard of the internet. Estimated damages were between 50 and 100 million.
Robert Morris was eventually rewarded with an Associate Professorship at MIT.
The bottom line is an unpatched Linux box is just as insecure as an unpatched Microsoft OS. - crownedgriffin, on 03/10/2008, -1/+22When I used to live at home, I remember getting in trouble ALL THE TIME because some ***** virus was eating Windows alive, even though I was the one always fixing the damn thing. I used it the most, so it must be my fault.
Funny how after I moved out, my comptuer works, and theirs is still ***** up all the time. - frogsoblivious, on 03/10/2008, -0/+20u gotta stop downloading that porn man
- inactive, on 03/10/2008, -2/+21Ubuntu is a break-through distro, if you want to view it in that respect. You need to realize that the common man isn't going to compile Gentoo.
- metapop, on 03/10/2008, -1/+19*puts on tinfoil hat*
norton is no different than big pharma companies. it's in their best interest not to eradicate viruses, but to continue to sell their product as a sort of placebo, and everyone from microsoft to norton to the geek squad is enjoying their piece of the pie. could all aspects of the computer industry decide on a series of standards which would eliminate virii? yes. do they? no, of course not. virii will exist as long as we have corrupt overlords deciding what goes on shelves, and what the sheeple masses are told.
p.s. i'm a mac user, and don't want norton to ever get near my house. (nor shall i need it) - badassninja, on 03/10/2008, -23/+40I told my friend that I couldn't believe the huge number of windows clean up, speed up, spyware remover, adaware remover, ***** remover and anti virus software that comes out almost non-stop for windows. This this he replied, of course, they are a business and part of their business plan is to leave holes in their OS so that other companies can charge you to put a band-aid on the problems. After a moment it hit me that he was most likely right and how revolting that was.
A girl I know is not aloud to use her family's computer because it got a virus not to long ago and best buy charged them out the ass to reinstall XP. I mean really. Think about that.
***** windows, ***** Microsoft and Bill gates. I don't care what you use, the whole world needs to use anything other then windows so that Microsoft will have the motivation to write a OS that servers the users instead of other companies and so they can for the first time since 1995 can work for their money. - yourmightyruler, on 03/10/2008, -0/+16What? Are you saying that the philosophy of Linux is not being popular?
Linux is about user choice, and user control. Did you forget that Ubuntu is open source? - danz32, on 03/10/2008, -0/+16Its allowed not aloud...anyway, its not all Microsoft's fault....one example of the anti-virus companies being in the wrong is in the example of Vista 64-bit. Microsoft had attempted to lock down the kernel (which meant companies like Symmantec wouldn't have access). They went and bitched to the EU, forcing Microsoft to open it up.....
- bforcier, on 03/10/2008, -1/+16My father bought a subscription to norton360 and was bitching about how he has to pay to protect his machine, and how he shouldn't be bothered by porn pop-ups, they just shouldn't be allowed to exist and he should be able to prosecute them.
I installed AVG, ad-aware, spyware blaster, and spybot SD, and he flipped out for downloading stuff to his computer. I told him it was better, and he said that the "IT woman with 20 years experience who is hired by a multi-million dollar company," at his work to him to get it. I told him it sucks, and he said that he can't trust free software, because if they were good why would they be free? he just didn't get it.
He's mighty pissed. - Balk2K, on 03/10/2008, -2/+17that's only a small part. More importantly, Linux is written in a more secure way than Windows and any vunrebility once discovered can be fixed within hours and broadcast to every internet connected system via the repositories.
- gordonchiam, on 03/10/2008, -2/+17You don't need an antivirus software. A spell checker, maybe?
- mrhedges, on 03/10/2008, -3/+17First, any Windows user with a brain in his head doesn't use Norton. I for one, have been using Avast for years, and I'm quite pleased with it (since it's free, mainly). Second, I can't use Linux for work (the specific CAD software that I use isn't avail in Linux flavour), and it's barely useful for me at home either (gaming). While I have a partition with Ubuntu, I hardly ever boot into it.
- bigsteve, on 03/10/2008, -1/+15They don't. There aren't any. Find one. Digg me down, people will still read this. Block me, don't care. You won't find one. Google all night.
And not a silly script that clears your home folder after asking for your password that has a jpeg icon on it. That's not a virus. No OS is safe from that, no OS is safe from retard users.
Please, find me one. Shut me up, no one has yet. - CamZak, on 03/10/2008, -0/+14Hate to break it to you. But there's a good chance at least one device you own is running a *nix va
- christianw, on 03/10/2008, -3/+17youre a douchebag
- daftman, on 03/10/2008, -4/+18Big misconception.
Functionality of the virus
1. Spread
2. Deliver the payload
1. Virus on linux is hard to spread because Linux is heterogeneous. Different distro have different implementation
2. Delivering payload require root. Root are disabled by default on modern distros - fullphaser, on 03/10/2008, -3/+16It will sure as hell play more and better games.
- theaceoffire, on 03/10/2008, -0/+13Not to mention that most distros do not give you God level powers just to browse the internet.
- init100, on 03/10/2008, -0/+13Sure, it will get more attention from the malware developers as the market share grows, but that does not mean that malware will be as prominent on Linux as it currently is on Windows, due to the more security-oriented architecture of *nix systems, as well as new security features such as SELinux and AppArmor.
- encrypteduser, on 03/10/2008, -3/+16Best Anti-Virus: Common ***** Sense
...unless of course the entry method of the malware is a hole in a trusted application which requires no user interaction whatsoever.
Most people here think they know what they are talking about when it comes to malware or computer security but often know absolutely nothing. - employeeno5, on 03/10/2008, -0/+12The vast majority of people using Ubuntu are not idiots. Many of them may just be new to Linux and the entire concept of open source. They need education and help not badgering. If the distributions goal is to make something familiar enough that they won't even need to learn much, that's the distributions priority and more power to them if it brings new users to Linux.
In fact new users will be the life blood if Linux is to have any significant future as a desktop platform. Linux has always been a great OS by coders for coders, but if it's ever going to be more than that (at least in a desktop setting) people of all kinds need to start using it and enjoying it.
Linux needs people who are business owners, educators, artists (working artists using Linux as a creative tool, including designers, musicians, writers, etc, not just those doing to wonderful work on art for distros and apps). Linux needs your grandmother, your old roommate who always took your juice, your girlfriend/boyfriend, your boss and your favorite bartender.
Linux needs any and all types of computer users in order to gain the critical mass that really creates a positive sea change for Linux and open source software and standards in general. Linux already has lots of these people and has made staggering strides forward but it still needs more.
The vast majority of people will not need or care to know much of the technical background of Linux and therefore it's great that their are distributions aiming to make a familiar and simple experience for them to get things done.
If nothing else the "free as in beer" type of free that is such a large part of Linux has huge potential to, and already is working to help level the technological playing field in the developing world and even in poor communities here in the first world. Do you expect children in a remote village accessing photos and seeing sky scrapers for the first time, or talking with other children around the world to really be concerned with "apt-get" and whether or not their chat program will work on other platforms? Would you criticize someone for making a simple to use distro for them?
If you want to geek out on your computer there's an enormous variety or other distros to play with. Or hey, you could even make one yourself. That's the beauty of it all.
But you already knew all that. You just wanted to be a jerk. - Cronus6, on 03/10/2008, -4/+16I still like the theory that most virus's/spyware are actually created by the companies that sell anti-virus software. Perhaps they "subcontract" them out, who knows.
What better way to guarantee you have a continuing market if you think about it. - iFrikkenR, on 03/10/2008, -24/+35you realise of course if more and more people used *nix based OS'es the creators of viruses, spyware etc would start to target those too. And before anyone makes claims about software not running/installing automatically like windows can, if *nix systems become totally widespread they'll need to start allowing that so regular n00bs can install their iTunes and the such
It's about MASS mailing, MASS advertising, BULK email address gathering.
I'm not against *nix - most of the Linux distro's i've tried are brilliant! I'm just saying, don't think it's more secure because it doesn't currently have these issues. It's the old security through obscurity deal Mac users are accustomed to. If anything, open-source software is potentially far worse as anyone has the source and can write all the exploits in the world if they really wanted to.
You could even dupe more advanced linux users by offering "updates" or new software that promise features/fixes/compatibility but are actually virii in disguise. No one bothers though as it won't currently affect enough users to make it worthwhile. - dougbarrett, on 03/10/2008, -1/+12If it isn't going to be downloadable viruses, it's going to be browser exploits. People will find a way to exploit the flaws in operating systems and software, that is the natural order of technology.
- PAStheLoD, on 03/10/2008, -0/+11the new LTS is just around the corner :)
- Outdoor83, on 03/10/2008, -2/+13One of *those* guys...
- twrife, on 03/10/2008, -0/+10Do they sell that in Wal-Mart?
- TritonX, on 03/10/2008, -3/+13"but isn't it a valid concern that if everybody uses Ubuntu (or any other distro for that matter) that Viruses/Worms will be made for that platform?"
No, it's called MS FUD. - BigManOnCampus, on 03/10/2008, -2/+12The corporate world relys on anti-virus to make up for the stupidity of their respective user-banks. Norton is still widely used in business.
- Ademan, on 03/10/2008, -1/+11Certainly you make a good point, the diversity of linux is a large part of its strength, and it helps make viruses less effective (for instance there is no ONE email client on linux the way outlook has become nearly standard) And I know you said this to a degree, but I want to re-enforce it, the design of linux (and really any unix I can think of) is one that mitigates and prevents harmful viruses from propagating.
- iofthestorm, on 03/10/2008, -0/+10Not to mention how slow Norton and McAfee are. Avast and AVG do as good a job of catching viruses, are free, and use much less resources. My old machine's boot time dropped by 30 seconds after replacing Norton with Avast.
- Dunge, on 03/10/2008, -3/+13Truth is, there can be virus on Linux, it just that your typical easy pray grandmother won't use it so hackers don't waste time creating one.
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