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Weblog:   Linux Users: Welcome to the World of Malware
Subject:   Not Quite, jwenting
Date:   2004-10-28 23:01:36
From:   jwenting
Response to: Not Quite, jwenting

I've used Debian earlier this year and apt works nicely indeed.


But as to your "Windows Update is a very pale comparison to the "mechanism" built into many (most/all) linux distros" that's simply not true.
It works as least as well as does apt.


"Microsoft only occasionally provides updates to its own software."
Microsoft releases updates every week, more often if needed.
I'd hardly call that "only occasionally". They just don't issue major press releases when going from version 0.0.3.1.5.2.5.43b3 rc1 to 0.0.3.1.5.2.5.43b3 rc2 like Linux groups are wont to.


"someone who has a financial stake in the product, or someone who loves it?"
Neither. That would be someone who has the capability of looking at that product from a distance without emotional or financial attachment.
Your love for Linux clouds your vision so you don't see the shortcomings of the platform (or as I've seen by many Linux zealots actually call those shortcomings strong points).


" I wouldn't enjoy all the extra work, job security, etc if we lived in a Linux world."
You'd have even more work to do as every cracker in the world would use the availability of the source code to find and exploit the holes.
At the moment you get only a few hardcore ones interested at breaking in to juicy corporate LANs and hold them ransom or steal information, but in your ideal world you'd have to deal with script kiddies using hacking kits written by others which is exactly what most attacks on Windows platforms are today (attacks which would almost invariably fail if people weren't listening to anti-Microsoft propaganda and failing to keep their machines up to date be they "don't trust Microsoft".
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  • Not Quite, jwenting, Continued...
    2004-10-29 21:05:53  bairdcarr1 [Reply | View]

    Sorry, man, you missed the point again. Windows Update only updates Windows and few other things. Apt (and a few others like it) updates the OS and everything else you have installed. My "Pale by Comparison" remark is more than accurate, as there is nothing even possible of being comparable in the Windows world. Not a criticism, just a point of fact.

    Perhaps my loving Linux comment wasn't quite accurate, however. I am in awe of it. Not meritless, blind adoration as you suppose. I am utterly amazed by the resources that come in even your most basic distro. It's amazing how many Windows applications can be replaced by simple shell scripts.

    If you count machines and time spent working on a particular OS, I am primarily a Windows admin. My disgust with Windows is rooted in fact. Documented by the hour, machine, and problem.

    I'm glad you tried Debian. Not the most polished distro, but for some reason my personal favorite. Maybe you should try Suse or Mandrake until you get your feet wet. Any Windows admin would feel comfortable with them, they have pretty good gui admin features from what I have seen.

    Anyway, keep at it, you will eventually see what everyone likes about Linux.
  • Not Quite, jwenting
    2004-10-29 11:01:15  alucinor@mail.com [Reply | View]

    "It works as least as well as does apt"

    Except it only updates products from Microsoft.

    -

    "I'd hardly call that "only occasionally". They just don't issue major press releases when going from version 0.0.3.1.5.2.5.43b3 rc1 to 0.0.3.1.5.2.5.43b3 rc2 like Linux groups are wont to."

    "Major Press Releases" = update noted on their sourceforge homepage.

    -

    "Your love for Linux clouds your vision so you don't see the shortcomings of the platform (or as I've seen by many Linux zealots actually call those shortcomings strong points)"

    He said that he loves it for several reasons. And in this case, "love" is likely a synecdoche for "approves of", "endorses", or "strongly recommends".

    -

    "You'd have even more work to do as every cracker in the world would use the availability of the source code to find and exploit the holes."

    The NSA doesn't seem to think so.

    Access to source code actually speeds fixes, not breaks, since the "white hats" in the hacker community greatly outnumber the "black hats" (it's just that the latter get far more publicity).
  • Not Quite, jwenting
    2004-10-29 08:35:19  unoengborg [Reply | View]


    But as to your "Windows Update is a very pale comparison to the "mechanism" built into many (most/all) linux distros" that's simply not true.
    It works as least as well as does apt.

    Perhaps it is me that knows too little about windows but what I miss in Windows update is some way to get information about installed files.
    So far I havn't been able to find some place in windows where you can get information on what progaram a certain file or dll belongs to, o r a description of what it does or what other programs that depend on it. I have also failed to find some way to list all files that is installed with a certain peace of software.




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