Mailinglist Archive: opensuse (3031 mails)

[Tero Pesonen <teropesonen@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Friday 08 February 2008, Sloan wrote:
> Tero Pesonen wrote:
> > On Friday 08 February 2008, Randall R Schulz wrote:
> > >   Linux is safe when used intelligently.
> > >   Intelligent use includes using secure passwords and
> > >    applying security upgrades when they're made available.
> > >   Intelligent use excludes running binaries or scripts supplied
> > >    by unknown individuals.
> > >
> > >
> > > If that's too complicated for someone, they shouldn't be using a
> > > computer at all.
> >
> > So, are Windows XP or Vista not safe then when used intelligently?
>
> IMHO using a microsoft operating system intelligently (is there an
> oxymoron here?) involves a number of additional restrictions and
> caveats, as well as extra costs, as compared to using linux
> intelligently, which is OTOH fairly straightforward.
>
> Joe

I don't think running Windows XP on a desktop securely is rocket 
science. My parents have pulled off such a feat -- they've never had 
any security issues, and of the people I know, they are the least 
computer literate. My brother is now on OS X, but not because of 
security issues. He just wanted a better computer with a better OS than 
what his XP-powered Wintel box was.

Maybe securing a desktop Linux system is easier. However, as long as it 
is not difficult as such on the other side, security is not a selling 
point. I've talked about security and Linux to Windows users. What they 
say is: I do not need "better" or "more" security, since security is a 
non-issue to begin with. If, on the other hand, OpenOffice or MS Office 
became magically easier to use once run on Linux, then they might 
become interested. 

Money? Well some one who buys a branded PC typically already pays for 
security apps etc. which bring added costs. Putting Linux on that 
hardware at home won't make the money they already paid for the Windows 
OS and Norton etc. stuff to be returned. Windows machines are now so 
cheap that money seems no longer to be a motivator that would work in 
favour of "Linux at home." Even computer magazines no longer write 
about Linux being free. It seems irrelevant. They write about Linux as 
an equal "choice" on the desktop, and not as something that is geeky 
yet free. (as they used to.) 

That's what I've gathered.

Tero Pesonen
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