cheers,

Ray

Please, EXPLAIN why, if the majority of the the Internet is on a LAMP stack (The L stands for Linux, in case you didn’t know.) that WINDOWS servers are still attacked?

The most popular web server in the world is Apache, and yet IIS is the one constantly attacked.

No. I don’t think popularity is actually the deciding factor. Otherwise LAMP stacks would be attacked a lot more being more commonly used than any Windows stacks on the ‘net.

The reason why i said “Everyone’s out to get them” is that because if you’re a hacker, you would like to damage the majority. It just so happens that Windows is “easier”, but as I said, If Linux was the majority, no matter how secure it is, IT WILL BE ATTACKED.

All of this isn’t bashing on Linux. As I’ve said, I know it’s just a matter of support, as you also said, the fear of supporting binary drivers. I’d like that time to come when every software would say :

“Supported Operating Systems : PC/MAC/LINUX”

Anyway, it seems that this debate will never end and I’d only get quoted and waste my time. So, I’ll just leave the figures out there that Windows is still the majority for its ease-of-use, despite the alternatives available which is most of the time, can do less that its Windows counterparts. I really find it immature to bash on it.

That myth has been dispelled simply by citing Apache vs. IIS. Apache is by far the most popular… yet IIS is the most targeted. Popularity may be a factor, but insecurity is insecurity no matter how popular an OS is. Windows is targeted because it is EASY, not just because its popular. Otherwise you’d see a lot of non-Windows systems targeted outside of the desktop market, which as of right now, that is not the case.

“I can imagine if it was Linux that was the dominant OS, it would have as much security holes as Windows has now because everyone’s out to get the “Big Fish”.”

It may seem logical, except the fact that Linux is actually designed to be secutre. And the reason Linux is hard to compromise was actually well-described by Eric S. Raymond, who said that the fact the source code is out there in the hands of thoousands, if not hundreds of thousands of people, security flaws do *not* last long. I seem to recall one common exploit found in all OS’s at one point. I forget what it was, but Linux had it fixed within a DAY of the discovery of the flaw, Windows took nine months.

It is NOT exclusively because of popularity.

“But don’t get me wrong, I love Linux too, but drivers are always a problem. An average user wouldn’t want to go through all the trouble to DO MORE WORK TO MAKE IT WORK. Majority of software are still exclusively for Windows, which is the main reason people cannot switch entirely. I pray for the time that vendors finally support Linux and write software and drivers for it. When that time comes, only then the playing will be equal.”

I take exeption to that, Linux has way more hardware working out of the box than Windows in my experience, and it has been proven, time and time again that Linux has the larger driver library of the two. Linux hardware support for Linux is better. Note that you likely never experience the crippled nature of a fresh Windows install if all you use is OEM releases and system recovery disks, wherein the OEM already did the dirty work of making the hardware work properly. Try installing the same version of Windows, only retail, on the same box, and it’ll make more sense.

As for software, you have GOT to be kidding. Except for games, Linux can do everything Windows can do and way, way more. Being a POSIX system, Linux has source compatibility with software from dozens, if not HUNDREDS of operating systems, thus getting hundreds of thousands more apps than Windows just be actually being standards compliant. Unless you need to play games, you have no reason to actually stay with Windows.

“I guess we could hate Microsoft for their business practices, but people would still get them for the painless setups and support it has for both software and hardware. PC gaming is an example, while you’re hoping that that new video card would have linux support and if the game could run on Linux. Emulation still is slow at this time unless you have a really bad-ass machine.”

Again, see my note on actual out-of-box hardware support. Linux is way ahead of Windows in this arena. Every time I install Linux, everything is working out of the box. With Windows I usually have to have my drivers downloaded ahead of time, since Windows doesn’t even support most ethernet or wlan out of the box. The only driver I have to download for Linux is my nVidia driver, and that’s largely because so many distros are scared of supporting binary drivers ot of the box. And I don’t even have to hunt on the web to get it, thanks to software repositories, yet another thing Windows utterly lacks.

“While it’s true that Linux has gone a long way and has matured into a better OS, it is, in my opinion is still for hardcore-tech people. It requires a bit more tech skills, curiousity and a lot of research.”

Ubuntu and its derivatives are so freaking easy, even my sister can use Linux with no problems. I hate to say it, but I think you’re in the minority if you were having hardware problems with Linux these days.

I can imagine if it was Linux that was the dominant OS, it would have as much security holes as Windows has now because everyone’s out to get the “Big Fish”.

But don’t get me wrong, I love Linux too, but drivers are always a problem. An average user wouldn’t want to go through all the trouble to DO MORE WORK TO MAKE IT WORK. Majority of software are still exclusively for Windows, which is the main reason people cannot switch entirely. I pray for the time that vendors finally support Linux and write software and drivers for it. When that time comes, only then the playing will be equal.

I guess we could hate Microsoft for their business practices, but people would still get them for the painless setups and support it has for both software and hardware. PC gaming is an example, while you’re hoping that that new video card would have linux support and if the game could run on Linux. Emulation still is slow at this time unless you have a really bad-ass machine.

While it’s true that Linux has gone a long way and has matured into a better OS, it is, in my opinion is still for hardcore-tech people. It requires a bit more tech skills, curiousity and a lot of research.

To be clear, in the absence of these articles I hardly ever think of Microsoft. Please stop.

Apart from the mild annoyance of having to convert the MS-Word files that come
my way, and having to deploy filters to reduce the spam propagated by
compromised machines running Microsoft Windows, it’s quite easy just to get
work done without paying attention to what is happening in the Windows world.

What do you think Microsoft’s “get the facts” campaign is about, perchance: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver/compare/default.mspx

I am an avid Linux user, and I am constantly reminded why, when I use my software and have an altogether less frustrating and more productive experience. Why shouldn’t I criticize Windows for all its flaws. Why on earth not?