On Sat, 19 Nov 2005 23:36, Daniel Carrera wrote: > Terri Sprague wrote: > > Quite a few of us, even though we have internet satellite > > connections, do not stay connected all the time. In my > > opinion, that is a disaster waiting to happen because of > > hackers, viruses, etc. > > Why not switch to Linux or Mac OS and avoid the problem altogether? > The problem of hackers and viruses is specific to Microsoft's crap > products. As a rule of thumb, the less MS software you use, the safer > you are. If you are concerned about security, I recommend the following > steps: > > Step 1: Ditch MS Internet Explorer and use Firefox or Opera. > Step 2: Ditch MS Outlook and use Mozilla Thunderbird. > Step 3: Ditch MS Office and use OpenOffice (done already?) > Step 4: Ditch MS Windows and use Linux.
This is a list of steps I'm working on getting the community centre I currently do voluntary work at, to do. We (the techies) have established by now that Internet Explorer is a virus trap (Internet Exploitee) and should not be used if at all possible; we haven't got the staff to dump MS Outlook yet; we've almost got OpenOffice.org accepted as the preferred Office Suite, everywhere except on the staff computers - facilitator and accountant. Getting people comfortable with Linux is somewhat harder - considering it takes for granted what MS WinXP treats as purely optional "security" extensions. ;) Wesley Parish > > Do as many of these steps as you can. Each step will go a long way > towards making your computer more secure. If you do them all, viruses > and hackers will be a problem of the past. My computer has never been > hacked or had a virus. Not since I owned my first computer (a 486). > > Some people will suggest you use anti-virus software. Yes, this is > necessary if you use Windows. But AV software is fundamentally a > *reactive* measure. It tries to clean your computer after it's been > infected. It is much wiser to take *preventive* measures that help keep > your computer from being infected in the first place. If you do all the > steps above, you will no longer need AV software. > > Another fundamental problem with AV is that there are some doubts over > how much you can trust them. Given their inability to detect the Sony > DRM software, although it infected as many computers as Slammer worm and > other similar ones. Here is a must-read article by Bruce Schneier (world > renowned security expert): > > http://www.wired.com/news/privacy/0,1848,69601,00.html?tw=wn_story_page_pre >v2 > > Cheers, > Daniel. -- Clinersterton beademung, with all of love - RIP James Blish ----- Mau e ki, he aha te mea nui? You ask, what is the most important thing? Maku e ki, he tangata, he tangata, he tangata. I reply, it is people, it is people, it is people. --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
