Computer Security

[Monsieur Abeille]

Sorry Peter, just re-read the original post. If you get McAfee FOC then I'd recommend going for that.

 

[Black Comb]

Thank you all for these knowledgeable replies (in well under 24 hours)

I'm not interested in computers except what they can do for me so I don't care about the operating system as long as it works and as I said, it's pretty slick at the moment.

 

[Hombre]

Things continue to improve RoofTops and the latest releases of Linux now play well with Wi-fi cards. A lot of what you say is correct but MS has a vested interest in promoting a lack of interoperability wherever it can and a track record for doing it.

Unfortunately MS does not work for the public good, but for the enrichment of MS. Not to say that it isn't good, because it is, but it is far from open and seeks to quash all competition to the detriment of Joe public in the long run.

Apple have a totally closed wall which they defend agressively, overcharging their customers who they abuse on a regular basis for their loyalty and naivity.

The fastest growing OS in cyberspace at the moment iOS, as used in the Apple iPhone, iPad and others that I don't know about. It's sneaked into first position a bit like Cisco did a few years ago, largely unsung and unthought about by the opposition until it was too late.

Horses for courses, as you say RT. It's a dynamic world out there. Interesting that the Windows7 phone was launched less than six months after the previous Windows phone venture went spectacularly belly up

* BREAKING: BROADCOM OPEN SOURCES WIRELESS DRIVERS
posted by Thom Holwerda on Thu 9th Sep 2010 17:40 UTC, submitted by kragil
IconAhem. I just had to write that all-caps headline. Broadcom's wireless chips - used by just about everybody in this industry - have been a major pain in the bum for Linux users, because the company did not release open source drivers. Workarounds had to be created, lots of pain was had in the process, but now, Broadcom has finally seen the light: they have open sourced their wireless Linux drivers.

I still can't believe it. Let me copy the official announcement verbatim.

Broadcom would like to announce the initial release of a fully-open Linux driver for it's latest generation of 11n chipsets. The driver, while still a work in progress, is released as full source and uses the native mac80211 stack. It supports multiple current chips (BCM4313, BCM43224, BCM43225) as well as providing a framework for supporting additional chips in the future, including mac80211-aware embedded chips.

 

[RoofTops]

Good news about the wireless driver but it only supports my view that Linux is not yet ready for Joe Public. The words "work in progress" say it all.

 

[oliver90owner]

"work in progress"

That is one super phrase. That's exactly how I feel about all these updates/fixes for windows!!

Regards, RAB

 

[Nellie]

Linux remains a distant third to OSX and windows from a user point of view imo. And if socking it to big business is a consideration in choosing a Linux distribution over windows or OSX then it's perhaps worth bearing in mind that Open Office is owned by Sun Micro Systems/Oracle and is part funded by them, Novell, IBM and Google amongst others so you're hardly escaping the influence by switching to Open office, it just depends on which massive corporation(s) you judge as being less evil.

As a server operating System, Linux is hard to beat but as a desktop OS I (and everyone else I've worked with) still contend that you have to factor in the MTTUE when running Linux. Mean Time To Unix Expert is the random clock from the first time you install Linux until you have call someone who actually knows how to use Unix. Linux has got much better, the MTTUE when I first started using it was minutes. On average now I reckon it's at least a couple of days. But even so, if you just want to turn on your PC and do something without having any interest whatsoever is how a computer works, I think you take a big risk going with linux for relatively minimal savings over Windows, far fewer application choices, less flexibility, less compatibility, less support from your hardware manufacturer, zero support from your internet service provider and so on.

If you want a Unix operating system without actually caring how unix works, spend the cash on OSX. Once in the last 18 months I've had to open a console window and tinker behind the scenes to get OSX out of a mess.

Personally I think OSX and Windows are basically identical nowadays. Windows does some stuff better than OSX, OSX does stuff better than windows. As OSX becomes more popular malware authors are starting to take an interest in it and it's clear that no OS is bullet proof on that front, look at the number of security updates now coming out on OSX and on that front Microsoft are miles ahead because they've had years more experience at it.

 

[Poly Hive]

I will set my stall out here with no axe to grind.

I began on computers some years ago now on Win3, and bought my first home pc for £1400 with a HD of 3gig... lol. However that purchase insured my employment and progression to a very highly paid job so all in all a good investment.

I have read MM for many years and every now and again to alieavate my offshore boredom I dabbled with live CD's of various Linux distros.

Two years ago I thought to upgrade my lappie to Linux so chose Ubuntu 8. something.. and to be honest I have not looked back.

I found it recognised my vodaphone dongle, critical for our business as we need to check bookings when away in the Motor Home, and it just worked. KISS

I am bl**dy hard to please, I am ruthless when it comes to service, and coming from a multi million pound business where I picked up the phone and changed everything at the drop of a hat, or loss of a drill string, I have a deep understanding of "what works out the box". Ubuntu does.

Oh yes and it is free. From 7 figures to free is a big leap.

I commend it.

PH

 

[Brosville]

Snap! - You've exactly mirrored my glee at finding the best operating system by miles - much as it pleases me to stick 2 fingers in the air at the odious Gates' company, the reasons I use Ubuntu are precisely the same ones Poly cites - it's streets ahead of Windoze in all respects, easier to use and FREE - no contest job!
And as for all this guff (as that is what it is) about Windoze being indispensable for "business" - most of Google is running on various flavours of Linux (offices as well as internet), so if it's good enough for one of the largest companies in the world, it'll do me fine!

I would also contend that linux is intrinsically far "safer", and based on a core that is light years ahead of Windoze, which is layer upon layer of kludges, bug-riddled, and inherently prone to security problems........
As for having to be an "expert"- there's far less expertise involved to run Ubuntu - "it just does it" - software sir? - certainly, several thousand free programmes, just choose and click to install......... wifi connection? - "already set it up for you - it's running" -good morning sir, there is an update awaiting, would you like me to "just do it for you?" - one click and it does....... crashes, freezes, trojans, viruses, snails-pace computing? - I remember them, they come with Windoze........