An INCREDIBLE Discovery !

[balge]

I played around with Linux a couple of years ago to get an old Windows box I had been given up and running when I had no OS discs for it .
Spent time searching the web on my Mac and downloading various bits & pieces for it .
I found the whole process a royal PITA ; I did in the end get the machine running with somewhat limited functionality , but eventually got some Windows XP installation discs from someone who had upgraded to one of their newer OS and no longer needed them .
While XP seems to be a fairly stable and reliable OS ( have three Windows boxes in the house running it now ) , I still far prefer Mac OSX for simplicity , reliability and functionality , but then I've been an Apple user since the days of the Apple II .
The fun really begins when you have a cross platform home network , with various things on NAS and shared network printers

I put Ubuntu on the missus' netbook, had been XPHome so no networking on it, took less time than a Win install. So much easier than even a few years ago.
Certainly networks better than the Vista install on her laptop, and all her old hardware works with Ubuntu, I had to dual-boot the laptop with XP to get her stuff working because Vista wouldn't touch it!

Win8 currently retailing about £200 - Ubuntu = free...

 

[Colin_b]

I will have to research linux security a bit more. I'm not too clear on it yet. It seems it is not likely to be infected by a windows virus. But malware ? I could see a program being downloaded from a website with funny stuff in it

Good move. Scammers have specific targets, and usually go for the soft targets like Windows - there will be a percentage of users who don't do auto update or run anti-malware.

Apple users assume they 'don't get viruses', so tend to be a slightly easier target as they are tending towards complacent - result more apple IOS malware.

Apple releases malware removal tool after being hit by computer hackers - Telegraph

Unix was typically geeks, who were pretty good at spotting attacks, so the bad guys didn't really bother. That is changing as more people(and appliances, more importantly) use unix.

New malware exploiting Java 7 in Windows, Unix systems - CBS News

 

[balge]

I will have to research linux security a bit more. I'm not too clear on it yet. It seems it is not likely to be infected by a windows virus. But malware ? I could see a program being downloaded from a website with funny stuff in it

Security is slightly better with 'nix, if nothing else you're not using an admin account by default - which makes it harder to run naughty things on your PC. Currently far less malware aimed at 'nix, that may change eventually, but in any case there are plenty of anti-virus tools (free!) for 'nix already


https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Antivirus

I put ClamAV on the missus' netbook, just to stop her worrying

 

[Danny DeVito]

I would assume that all stuff downloaded from the software centre is safe and that has lots to work with. Clam i have read can be used to scan windows files

 

[balge]

I would assume that all stuff downloaded from the software centre is safe and that has lots to work with. Clam i have read can be used to scan windows files

Yes, stick to the repository if you are unsure.
If I have a Win box to disinfect I would use a (free, 'nix based) live-CD to clean it up rather than doing it via a network tbh

 

[balge]

Good move. Scammers have specific targets, and usually go for the soft targets like Windows - there will be a percentage of users who don't do auto update or run anti-malware.

Apple users assume they 'don't get viruses', so tend to be a slightly easier target as they are tending towards complacent - result more apple IOS malware.
Apple releases malware removal tool after being hit by computer hackers - Telegraph
Unix was typically geeks, who were pretty good at spotting attacks, so the bad guys didn't really bother. That is changing as more people(and appliances, more importantly) use unix.
New malware exploiting Java 7 in Windows, Unix systems - CBS News

And of course Apple OS is just a Unix clone now anyway...

 

[markjay]

Microsoft provides per incident paid support, it is very efficient and for £199 a technician will work with your IT team over the phone, email, and remotely until the issue is fully resolved. We use them quite often and it works very well (but obviously suitable for datacentres etc and not really for home users).

As for MacOS, you can walk into the local Apple Store with your device (admittedly a bit of a pain with a 27" iMac) and someone at the Genius Bar will sort you out (provided you made an appointment).

However... Googling for answers and using community forums is no longer regarded a poor-man's support solution. Online support is very strong these days and can provide reasonable support solution to any business basing their systems on Linux, Windows, MacOS, or any combination of these.

Of course for mission critical systems where direct developer's support is required within a short frame of time Windows will be the better proposition, but most businesses do not require that high level of business continuity.

 

[Dryce]

Nowadays, windows is rather(!) better. Server 2008R2, properly configured with things like group policy and W7 clients is secure, easy to manage and reliable. Design it wrong, and you'll get your described experience. Do it right, and costs disappear, just about.

LOL.

And in a couple of years time it will be 'Server 2010, properly configured ...." and then a couple of years after that 'Server 2012r4 properly configured ....".

'Design it wrong' seems to be an 'inability to ever configure it right'.

And 'easy to manage'. Yup. Remember that through each successive NT and Windows Server generation. It certainly seems glossier and more substantial on the surface. But there seems to be more and more to manage. More to click and worry about to get less done.

I love your assumption that only windows is prone to malware!

Anything is prone to malware. Some systems are more prone.

When I see shielded data servers being slowed by AV software because nobody trusts the admins and the OS that a configuration can actually be locked down I'm left asking why nobody questions this. It's actually pathetic. It's become accepted so nobody asks how can things be this bad that we have a mature OS with loads of security features yet nobody actually trusts it even to do simple security (and ironically the underlying kernel can actually do proper security).

But hey. Server 2155 (properly configured) might eventually sort this.

 

[Danny DeVito]

`Thanks for the input so far, googling stuff is fine but it always makes more sense to you when you are first hand to discussions. I always wondered that computers were supposed to reduce the amount of work needed and yet the bigger the company the bigger the IT department. I understand that the demands on computers increase all the time but still i think the computer should be making the IT dept smaller. And that should apply across all platforms.

 

[219]

XP is apparently losing security updates/support from next year and it is expected that the net will be rife with virus and such for XP users.

The three Windows machines are old ones not used for anything critical .

An old Dell laptop used by our 4yo for playing games and browsing CBeebies etc.

A not quite so old Dell laptop used by SWMBO for internet and emailing .

A Shuttle Xpc used to display Internet content on the living room TV ( that may well be replaced by a Mac Mini ; did have an Apple TV but found it to be a waste of time ) .

I may try OSx86 on some of the Windows boxes if XP becomes problematic .

 

[balge]

I think you will find it much easier to get another Unix clone onto PC hardware, rather than Apple.

How to Install Mac OS X on a PC (Without Using a Mac)

I would recommend PC-BSD if you need a Unix clone

What is PC-BSD?

 

[st4]

Isn't this illegal?

 

[redbaron]

linux is not copyrighted... certain unix flavours or anything apple most certainly is.

 

[balge]

Isn't this illegal?

what? no, do tell...

 

[balge]

linux is not copyrighted... certain unix flavours or anything apple most certainly is.

SCO?Linux controversies - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[st4]

what? no, do tell...

I could be wrong, but installing iOS X on non apple hardware?

 

[balge]

I could be wrong, but installing iOS X on non apple hardware?

Err, perhaps that is why I was trying to steer Pontoneer away from hackintoshes...?

 

[Dryce]

SCO?Linux controversies - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The SCO case was an interesting bit of opportunism by a dying company that became a long desparate bit of huffing and puffing that a lot of the mainstream IT media pandered to right up to the point where it became clear that it was huffing and puffing.

It didn't just involve Linux. It also involved UNIX.

If you really want to find out 'the truth' look at Groklaw - Digging for Truth which very dilligently followed the detail of this case right from the start.

 

[Dryce]

I could be wrong, but installing iOS X on non apple hardware?

The Apple OS licence forbids installation on non-Apple hardware.

I'm not entirely sure that this would stand up in a UK court if you paid for it properly and then put it on non-Apple hardware.

However trying this route goes beyond just lack of support - you're entering any area where the software may be deliberately 'unspported' to make things not work - eg. OS X on Atom which appears to have been deliverately made hard so OS X couldn't be easily hacked onto netbooks once Apple discovered people liked the way it ran on them. (Kind of makes a mockery of a £800 Macbook Air when you can take an Acer or Asus netbook at around £250 and potentially run OS X very nicely on it )

 

[219]

Err, perhaps that is why I was trying to steer Pontoneer away from hackintoshes...?

Oh , I have no particular plans to change anything on the Windows boxes , unless XP becomes problematic , in which case I will look at all the options ( which won't include extortionately expensive Windows packages ) .