Free Software Linux

I'm glad I'm not the only one to have cottoned on to this strange phenomenon: Ever notice how Microsoft plasters the Windows name on everything it can reach? Splash screens, stickers on computers, and advertising everywhere. There is no escaping it. Except when it's yet another malware outbreak-- then all the news organizations go inexplicably deaf, dumb, and blind, as this latest story demonstratesThe thing is, news outlets practically never mention that these scary big virus outbreaks are *Windows" viruses, as if viruses were some abstract entity.

I suppose I should expect this now: In a surprise move, Microsoft has announced it will offer a free anti-virus and security solution from the second half of next year. ... Amy Barzdukas, senior director of product management in the online services division at Microsoft, said: "This new, no-cost offering will give us the ability to protect an even greater number of consumers, especially in markets where the growth of new PC purchases is outpaced only by the growth of malware." Ah, bless 'em.

Yet another reason to buy the GNU/Linux version: Asus has admitted that some of the its Eee Box desktop mini PCs have shipped with a virus. But while the company has only admitted the infection was present in machines shipped to Japan, Register Hardware can confirm that other territories may be affected too. According to an email sent out by Asus, PC Advisor reports, the Eee Box's 80GB hard drive has the recycled.exe virus files hidden in the drive's D: partition. When the drive is opened, the virus activates and attempts to infect the C: drive and an removable drives connected to the system.

Recently I faced two incidents when I had to format my flash drive as it would simply refuse to open at all just because it was infected with some nasty viruses from my office computers.

Linux and UNIX-like operating systems in general are regarded as being more secure for the common user, in contrast with operating systems that have "Windows" as part of their name. Why is that? read more

GNU/Linux users should not have any false sense of security just based on the fact that viruses designed for exclusively for windows won't run on GNU/Linux. Here is a list of "Linux computer viruses"

On Open Enterprise blog.

On Open Enterprise blog.