Is Windows A Virus?
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I think there are virus for linux to. but it is not harmful as it is in case of windows. Since the kernel of linux is compressed, the virus cannot harm it. whereas the kernel of windows is exposed always.
About the question, is windows a virus?
Its an OS and not a virus.
About the question, is windows a virus?
Its an OS and not a virus.
Xemnas
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That doesn't mean Linux would be unaffected by viruses. Malware scripters simply haven't marked Linux as a mainstream target yet. If Linux comes to dominate the market though, you'll be seeing much more malware being written for it
That doesn't mean Linux would be unaffected by viruses. Malware scripters simply haven't marked Linux as a mainstream target yet. If Linux comes to dominate the market though, you'll be seeing much more malware being written for it
There are virus, malware and such for linux too.
OK guys lets set a few things straight here. I'm not sure how many people actually understand the differences between operating systems. This will be my attempt to set it straight.
1.) The thing that started this thread.... Of course windows is a OS but that is a linux mailing lists. It is not to be taken seriously. ITS A JOKE between the users in that mailing list. windows multiply coz all new pcs have windows, memory is wasted with windows. so all those things is what a virus does, but because of the windows design loosely speaking it fits those categories.
2.) The windows kernel is not exposed. It can be found in a directory yes, but it can't be directly accessed, and linux has a kernel as well in a folder just like windows. The linux kernel compression also doesn't make it immune to attacks. The reason why it is compressed I do not know but I'm sure that it has to do with the old memory being limited to 256Kb thus because linux can run on anything, they do it like that to make sure the kernel is compatible with a wider range of bios options and pc configurations. Linux isn't even a plug and play operating system, but it handles the job just as well as windows does.
You are correct there are quite a few viruses for linux as a matter of fact. Why is it not a problem? Because there are millions more people using windows. So it is more likely to find a virus for windows. Writing a virus for windows is easier because all windows versions are fundamentally the same and use the same commands and have the same type of layout. Secondly it is not open source, thus microsoft doesn't have to tell what is wrong with their product. Linux on the other hand is more user based, you have your own account and that account does not have access to all the folders on the machine like a basic windows installation. Different users on a machine can't even see others folder content if it is not not allowed. You can't write to all directories. This is more enforced on linux than windows. Also there are so many different versions of linux so if you write one virus chances are it may not even work on the next persons computer. If one user has a virus, then the virus cannot go and copy itself into the root directory in 95% of cases. (similar to the windows directory) so this limits the damage that a virus can do. Although linux is not immune to windows viruses. There is an emulator called wine. People use this to get some basic windows programmes to work. If a file is an .exe file executed by wine it can still get into memory and affect the system. Most people don't use this though.
Something that is more common in linux is people finding ways to make your computer have buffer over flows meaning that it would leak memory and dump this memory from which an attacker gain vital information. But in most cases the people that do this also notify the programmers of the source code and in the end is what gave hackers their names. In the linux world hackers play a very important role to try and eliminate bugs. The thing that is so good with linux is that it contains a very low number of bugs per 1000 lines of code than most commercial software due to it being open to scrutiny so it gets fixed much quicker. I will try to find the article about code bugs again and post it here.
Then come the macs. A mac for once and for all is just a bloody expensive intell chiped piece of hardware! ( i know people arn't going to like that) Lets look at it this way. Mac users are mostly people in media and entertainment. What programmes do they use? Well photoshop, premier etc. Those products are available for windows too, but the mac for these people are like shoes and handbags for woman. It's a fashion statement.
A person in a sane state of mind wouldn't buy a mac either. You just can't upgrade the bloody things. I had my good old 1 ghz machine from when they came out. It still runs like a horse, because I chop & change the way I like. A mac runs OSX what is OSX it is a commercial software based on Unix which in turn got surpassed by linux.If you really like the mac look etc. Just get a commercial version of linux like Suse or Mandrake. They are really good and only set you back about $60
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like2program
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loopyloser
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DAM U WINDOWS!!!!, they plants dem virus to get me!!!!
