Mark Wallace wrote: > I heard from somebody that had Wine run a Windows virus in Linux. > That's why I am glad that it isn't in the default distros, you have to > download it after install. > > I think that the better solution is to grow Linux to the point that > people like Turbo Tax and the game ware find it profitable to put a > Linux distro on the CD.
Careful what you wish for - malware authors and commercial developers both avoid linux for the same reason, it has a limited audience. Attract the commercial developers and you will also attract the malware :-) > > When I bought my first computer in 1985, when you bought one of the > primitive programs of the day like Pocket Writer, there was a dos, Apple > and Commodore edition in the same box. There is no reason why it > couldn't be done that way again. > > The disincentive for the proprietary writers is that most Linux users > dual boot and will just reboot their system and run the game ware in > Windoze. It's hard to guess how much of an impact it would make if all of the people who run Windows software under Wine suddenly said "no. We're not going to buy your software until you release a Linux version." It's possible that Wine might be a win/win for Linux in that a developer can make the decision to at least get their software to run under Wine, which is presumably a lower bar than making a product cross-platform. >From a security perspective, I also think sandboxing is the way to go (although I'm not sure how good a sandbox Wine is). I'd rather have a couple of virtual machines each holding their own potentially ownable program than have them installed in my main image where they can infect everything else. It's much easier to destroy them if they become infected. So I guess, all told, I think Wine is A Good Thing. For commercial stuff, I think that platforms like Android and the browser are our best bet for being able to run applications without Windows. Actually, I think Windows might be in a lot of trouble right now because of those new platforms. The shape of personal computing these days is looking less and less like the desktop, and MS's foothold in the new devices (phones, pads and netbooks) is anything but secure. > > > On 03/05/2011 12:00 PM, [email protected] wrote: > > Send mhvlug mailing list submissions to > > [email protected] > > > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > > http://mhvlug.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mhvlug > > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > > [email protected] > > > > You can reach the person managing the list at > > [email protected] > > > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > > than "Re: Contents of mhvlug digest..." > > > > > > Today's Topics: > > > > 1. Re: formatting NTFS (Chris Knadle) > > 2. Recall on Laptops (ew) > > 3. Re: Recall on Laptops (Chris Knadle) > > 4. Re: Great meeting last night (Sean Dague) > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > Message: 1 > > Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2011 19:24:56 -0500 > > From: Chris Knadle<[email protected]> > > To: [email protected] > > Subject: Re: [mhvlug] formatting NTFS > > Message-ID:<[email protected]> > > Content-Type: Text/Plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > > > On Friday, March 04, 2011 12:45:37 Mark Wallace wrote: > >> You've got me back on my soap box about dual booting. It has a number > >> of crucial problems. > >> > >> 1) Because you can reach into the Windows partition to get things, you > >> can also by mistake corrupt your windows install. > > The flip-side is that you can also fix Windows binaries that normally > > Windows > > won't let you modify due to the file being in use. So for instance one very > > typical thing to do is to use a Knoppix CD to scan an NTFS drive for viruses > > with Clamav, or look through a non-booting drive for data to recover before > > doing a Windows wipe/reinstall. > > > > So regardless of the fact that it's *possible* to corrupt Windows if you > > delete/alter the wrong file, there are also good reasons to be familiar with > > transferring data to/from Windows NTFS partitions, too. > > > >> 2) If you have downloaded a windows virus while on line in Linux, you > >> won't know it until you by mistake put it on the Windows partition where > >> it might get "executed" or shall we say, execute your system. My six > >> year old is no longer allowed to go on line in XP because it rarely > >> takes him more than two weeks to download some toolbar or free game that > >> screws up my whole hard drive with a virus. > > Your Linux system can also get the virus if you've got Wine installed. What > > you're describing is possible but I've yet to see anyone get a virus that > > way. > > Additionally there are several versions of XP, only some of which allow for > > privilege separation -- for instance my understanding is that XP "home" > > edition runs everything as the super-user, so if you were running that this > > would easily explain how your six year old could corrupt it so easily. > > > >> 3) Maintaining two platforms is twice as much work. It's actually three > >> when Microsoft starts doing things like modifying their boot loader > >> which turns around and wipes out Grub. That happened to me.) Your > >> mounting issue is the third level of work. You wouldn't be having this > >> problem if your were just running Ubuntu. > > Yes, any re-installation of the NTFS boot loader will wipe out Grub, so when > > dual-booting you do need to know how to recover Grub and how to re-install > > it. > > Microsoft doesn't play nice with the boot loaders on other OS's -- it seems > > they don't even try, and it seems to be on purpose. That's not Ubuntu's > > fault, and unfortunately there's no good solution to this other than > > Microsoft > > choosing to stop being "a boot loader bully". > > > >> 4) If you corrupt one platform badly enough, you might wind up having to > >> kill disk your hard drive and start over. If the Windows platform is XP > >> and you upgrade it faithfully, that will take hours, even on a broadband > >> connection. I got a Windows virus once that stopped my anit-virus > >> software and prevented my system restore from restoring. It's a lucky > >> thing that I had just backed up my data. I now keep my data on jump > >> drives and back up to A Drive, > > Last time I've seen this in person was a boot sector virus back in the early > > to mid 90's that a friend got that were going around at the time. I don't > > understand what this has to do with Linux<-> Windows file sharing, though. > > > >> 5) About the only things that I can't do Linux only are to upgrade my > >> GPS and run Windows proprietary software. If you are into heavy gaming, > >> that would be a problem. Wine only runs low graphics programs very > >> slowly and often can't find USB ports when you most need them. IT also > >> makes the income tax software useless. > > Some Windows games run surprisingly well under Wine on Linux. Deus Ex, for > > instance -- runs perfectly. Running Windows in a VM is able to solve > > needing > > to run some Windows applications, but occasionally running Windows natively > > is > > the only foolproof solution. > > > > However realistically this is about sharing data between partitions and thus > > between Windows/Linux on the same machine, rather than being "whether > > letting > > Windows be or not to be" on that box. > > > >> 6) Linux is different and the best way to make maximum use of it's > >> superiority is to be familiar with the Linux programs. Some of them are > >> very good but because they are free, there is nobody out trumpeting > >> their features. You might have something really good available for > >> free on Linux while you are using some out of date Windows program only > >> because you are familiar with it. If you were Linux only, you would > >> pick up the "savvy" that you need to do things in Linux faster. > >> > >> If I had to use Windows, I would put it on a separate hard drive and > >> open the tower and unplug one hard drive and plug in the other, I have > >> had that much bad experience with duel booting. > > Dual booting isn't for everybody. [Heh -- 'duel' booting, indeed. Nice > > one.] > > > > > > -- Chris > > > > -- > > > > Chris Knadle > > [email protected] > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > > > Message: 2 > > Date: Fri, 04 Mar 2011 19:30:56 -0500 > > From: "ew"<[email protected]> > > To: [email protected] > > Subject: [mhvlug] Recall on Laptops > > Message-ID:<1299285056.1586.12.camel@Mini> > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" > > > > For anyone unaware, Nvidia has settled a class action suit for the large > > number of dead laptops due to bad mobile GPU's. > > > > Deadline is March 14 to file. > > > > Unfortunately possessing the laptop may not be enough. Proof of > > purchase seems to be needed. I'm not sure about Dell units though. > > With the use of service tag numbers, they may have your info already. > > > > Also take note, I think the matrix list of units is messed up on the > > website. If you model is not listed, double check the product id number > > seems to be a more accurate starting point. > > > > > > Eric > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > > > Message: 3 > > Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2011 20:16:08 -0500 > > From: Chris Knadle<[email protected]> > > To: [email protected] > > Subject: Re: [mhvlug] Recall on Laptops > > Message-ID:<[email protected]> > > Content-Type: Text/Plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > > > On Friday, March 04, 2011 19:30:56 ew wrote: > >> For anyone unaware, Nvidia has settled a class action suit for the large > >> number of dead laptops due to bad mobile GPU's. > >> > >> Deadline is March 14 to file. > > I believe this the settlement you're referring to: > > > > http://www.nvidiasettlement.com/ > > > >> Unfortunately possessing the laptop may not be enough. Proof of > >> purchase seems to be needed. I'm not sure about Dell units though. > >> With the use of service tag numbers, they may have your info already. > >> > >> Also take note, I think the matrix list of units is messed up on the > >> website. If you model is not listed, double check the product id number > >> seems to be a more accurate starting point. > >> > >> > >> Eric > > Apparently this settlement is limited to a set of HP-Compaq, Apple MacBook > > Pro, and Dell laptops. Doesn't seem to involve IBM/Lenovo laptops. > > > > -- Chris > > > > -- > > > > Chris Knadle > > [email protected] > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > > > Message: 4 > > Date: Sat, 05 Mar 2011 08:04:23 -0500 > > From: Sean Dague<[email protected]> > > To: [email protected] > > Subject: Re: [mhvlug] Great meeting last night > > Message-ID:<[email protected]> > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed > > > > Jack and I were trying to figure out the best way to get me image > > content that people take for the LUG. We hope to eventually have an > > image gallery up on the site (and if anyone is interested in taking on > > that project, please let me know). Email is typically bad. > > > > Until then, a pretty good option is dropbox, because you can share > > folders to me, and it will just sync to my laptop, then I can post them > > on the site. If you don't already have an account, please snag one here > > - http://db.tt/PBw1rwg > > > > Once you end up with a dropbox account one way or another (I know a lot > > of folks already have them) just put all the images in it in a MHVLUG > > folder and share that folder to [email protected]. > > > > Thanks, > > > > -Sean > > > > On 03/04/2011 05:02 PM, [email protected] wrote: > >> My shots came out a bit better than anticipated. I did some minor tuning > >> and am converting them all to smaller jpeg images. I will try to tar them > >> up and get them out later tonight. > >> > >> Really enjoyed the meeting but for some reason I can't quite nail down, > >> I've had some trouble sleeping lately.... > >> > >> JC > >> ------Original Message------ > >> From: Sean Dague > >> Sender: [email protected] > >> To: [email protected] > >> ReplyTo: [email protected] > >> Subject: [mhvlug] Great meeting last night > >> Sent: Mar 3, 2011 07:00 > >> > >> For everyone that came out to the meeting last night, thanks, that was > >> awesome. We had 32 folks in the room, lots of great presentations, and > >> good cake. > >> > >> If you took pictures, please send them to me, and I'll get them on the > >> website. > >> > >> Here's to a great year 9 for the LUG. > >> > >> -Sean > >> > > > > > -- > I am only sending from this address because when I try to send my daughter an > email on AOL, it says that I am spamming. > > I only send from this address. Anything sent from another address might not > have been sent by me. Google reports that attempts are still being made to > get access to my accounts. I have deleted all contacts from Google to try > and fix this problem. > > Mark > > Robert Mark Wallace > 60 Delaware Road > Meadow Hill > Newburgh, NY 12550-3802 > Tel: (845) 566-0586 > US Cell:(845) 264-7228 > Can Cell:(902)314-4521 > > _______________________________________________ > Mid-Hudson Valley Linux Users Group http://mhvlug.org > http://mhvlug.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mhvlug > > Upcoming Meetings (6pm - 8pm) MHVLS Auditorium > Mar 2 - MHVLUG 8th Anniversary - Show and Tell > Apr 6 - Introduction to IPv6 > May 4 - Inkscape > ============================================================================= michaelMuller = [email protected] | http://www.mindhog.net/~mmuller ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- In this book it is spoken of the Sephiroth, and the Paths, of Spirits and Conjurations; of Gods, Spheres, Planes and many other things which may or may not exist. It is immaterial whether they exist or not. By doing certain things certain results follow. - Aleister Crowley ============================================================================= _______________________________________________ Mid-Hudson Valley Linux Users Group http://mhvlug.org http://mhvlug.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mhvlug Upcoming Meetings (6pm - 8pm) MHVLS Auditorium Mar 2 - MHVLUG 8th Anniversary - Show and Tell Apr 6 - Introduction to IPv6 May 4 - Inkscape
