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By Will Sturgeon

Published: Wednesday 02 June 2004


Name

Anonymous


Location

Mauritius


Occupation

Sysadmin


Comment

Mr. Thompson is right in his statement that "Security is a process, not a bunch of products" but he is completely wrong with this statement:

"the myth" that Microsoft's operating system is inherently less secure than the open-source alternatives, which he likened to a "dead-end alley". However, he still had few kind words for the software giant.

Sales talk! Of course! He is the CEO of Symantech and wants to give the impression of a myth, only to sell "Anti-virus" solutions to some OSS* users who don't know better.

"the ubiquity of Microsoft's operating system simply offers a more attractive canvas for the virus writers – hence the higher number of attacks aimed at Windows vulnerabilities."

The above IS a real myth! If the graffiti artist cannot reach the canvas, there is only one obvious alternative left. Not because it is the biggest, but because it is the easiest. In 1990 when I started my IT career, Windows was in its infants and Linux was not even thought of (ask Linus?),there was a plethora of viruses that infested that so called operating system. During these 14 years we are still in the same position.

No progress what so ever. If nothing else, THIS is "a dead end alley"!

Of course Symantech and their alikes
don't complain - it's their bred and butter.

* OSS = Open Source Software

/K
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