Productive Linux
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How much time and effort does Windows waste?
Some years ago studies were produced to show that the introduction of IT did not increase productivity in organisations. "Why not?" wondered all and sundry.
Well, here's an idea for an answer: Windows.
Microsoft's monopoly "operating" system is so sub-standard and users spend so much time maintaining their systems that any productivity gains simply evaporate away.
I've just spent hours trying to get a spambot off my wife's Window's laptop. The stupid beast has all the hallmarks of a drive-by infection. The fact it takes several attempts to stop re-infection is testament to Window's dodgy architecture. The infection even turned off the Window's firewall.
The root of most these problems is Microsoft's refusal to separate system and application code. This makes it easy for viruses to corrupt the system itself often requiring a complete re-installation. This would be laughable, and indeed I laugh about it a lot when it happens to other people. When it happens to me, though, Bill Gates's name is always close to an expletive.
To turn a Window's toy into anything like a usable computer you need to load it up with security software. What I decided to install was AVG. Allegedly one of the better products. AVG seems to do everything. One thing it does is take so long to scan incoming email that Outlook thinks the remote POP server hasn't responded. AVG also has a firewall. This firewall is managed by a series of "profiles". The profile we selected was 'Home & Small Office Network', only to find that this profile blocks connections out to port 110. That is, connections to check mail on a POP3 mail box. How friggin stupid. Even more stupid is that there is no way to tweak the profile to allow outbound connections to port 110.
The stupidity of this is staggering.
AVG is hardly unique in its amazingly Neanderthal user-interface and settings. This is a disease that has spread through all Windows software.
Compare this to Linux, where setting up a robust and simple firewall and tuning it to suit your needs is as easy as falling over.
Windows is simply not fit for the task.
Run as a limited user with suRun. It's not exactly rocket science.
AVG is a terrible program. However, you don't need antivirus on Windows. Just stick with Firefox/Opera, NoScript, and that limited account.
I personally use Linux (SliTaz and CRUX), but Windows isn't that bad. Most of its issues are just bad defaults that are not hard to change. The awful NTFS filesystem is one of the few valid flaws.
Run as a limited user with suRun. It's not exactly rocket science.
AVG is a terrible program. However, you don't need antivirus on Windows. Just stick with Firefox/Opera, NoScript, and that limited account.
I personally use Linux (SliTaz and CRUX), but Windows isn't that bad. Most of its issues are just bad defaults that are not hard to change. The awful NTFS filesystem is one of the few valid flaws.
People, the thing is not about AVG or something, thing is about it takes lots of time to figure something out in windows. You need to install own text editor because notepad can do nothing, you need some graphics editor just to save your screenshots, compare it to KSnaphot in KDE! You need two or three video players just to support avi+dvd formats, while single Kaffeine do all the job for you. I have to use M$ windows at work, while I am using SUSE linux about 8 years at home and I know what Paul is talking about.
I appreciate Linux's clean structure but I'm a regular Windows user ('coz I wanna play games; let's face it, wine doesn't work for complicated apps)
Most of this page (original post + comments) seem to be clueless bashing on Windows.
(I use Linux regularly too, I manage a server box in FreeBSD and I run cygwin in Windows too)
1. It's too difficult to figure out how to change some settings on Windows.
The same applies when a regular Windows user trying to figure out how to start X. It's just a matter of getting used to.
2. Security
You can run as non-root in Windows too, it's just that the default runs as root and there's no warnings for you to change it. Windows have native support for ACL too.
3. Take a screenshot
I can't help but to mock at this one: Press PrintScreen and your screen is copied to the CLIPBOARD. You can do it very fast too: PrintScreen, Win+R, mspaint, Ctrl+V. 4 keystrokes.
You'd think after a decade and more, people would get a grasp of how to administer commercial software. I'm sorry, but if you cannot keep a simple Windows install running clean and efficiently I shudder what mistakes could be made by handing you a csh terminal.
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Try AVG Free instead:
http://free.avg.com
Posted by Michael on 2009-02-04 17:58:38.