On 07/09/2008 07:19 PM, Damon Register wrote:
Jim Henderson wrote:
As the desktop market grows, the need will likely grow as well. That makes me wonder if Linux ever really catches on in the desktop market, would the virus issue become as serious as it is for Windows? I have heard plenty of arguments that Linux is much safer but I often wonder if it is safer only because it isn't mainstream enough to interest the virus writers.
Damon Register
I may be naive, but I just don't see it this way (but I a not a programmer). I used to use OS/2, which was a great system, and AFAIK NEVER had a virus, not because it was not popular, but because it was well written. Though systems are more complicated and asked to do a whole lot more now, I think Linux is well designed from the basics up, and is more secure by design, not just because of obscurity. One of the strengths of open source is the fact that more code is reviewed and by more people. It is also designed to actually work as a regular user. I know I use and promote Linux not because it is more secure by obscurity, but because it is more secure by design. It would seem to be easier to write a virus for Linux in the sense it is open source and you can see the code. It is also obvious that since there are many virus writers in it for the prestige and fame they get, and yet there hasn't been any Linux viruses, that just seeing the code doesn't make it easy. The Linux design makes it better, not just its market share, IMHO. -- Joe Morris Registered Linux user 231871 running openSUSE 10.3 x86_64 -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org