[SC.LUG] Linux vs. Windows Viruses

[Rick [Kitty5]]

Dr A V Le Blanc wrote:
> I do believe that Linux's security is and will remain better
> than Microsoft's.  That still requires maintenance, good administrator
> security practices, and care on the part of users; and even with all
> of these you may still be vulnerable to something.

I don't know if it will remain better in real world terms, the perception of
good Linux security fuelled by developers quickly releasing patches is
another matter. MS have extensive testing procedures that often delay patch
releases, so while their patches may on the whole be less likely to cause
problems, they will not appear to be as security focused as Linux.

MS got a lot of flak over windows updates breaking things a while back
resulting in increased quality control. Open source on the other hand isn't
compatibility tested to anything like the standards MS impose upon
themselves. This helps get opensource patches out the door faster, but is
sometimes the cause of updates coming in pairs, one to fix the bug, another
to fix the stuff that the fix broke.

This all adds up to make Linux appear more secure.

That said, I wont connect a MS machine directly to the internet anymore.
Ever.

Rick

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