Symantec provides hiding place for hackers

TalkBack 6 of 80:

Next »

« Previous

• Thread View
• Flat View

Well put...

I use both Windows and Linux (still a relative novice), and find both easy enough to use these days. I haven't always been able to make Linux do what I want it to, but I have found that its usually because I just don't know how, or that the support just isn't there yet (e.g. one of my flash devices, finally now supported by Suse 10). But the things that work, just work, and there aren't hidden alternatives. There are additional options, but they are generally documented and findable once you know where to look.

For Windows, which I've been using far longer, I still have occasional problems...but I often find that there just isn't a way to make it stop doing that little thing that is so annoying, or get it to do something I'd like it to, even though it seems like an obvious thing to me. Things are more locked into place, yet there are hidden tweaks that can be made. There are web sites full of info on these: registry entries you can tweak to change behavior, etc. But so many of them undocumented in Windows Help or other official MS docs.

I'm not an OSS zealot - I don't oppose Windows because I have to pay for it. On the other hand, I happen to not like Bill G. & MS for some of his social ideas and some of MS's business practices. I have begun using Linux (along with Windows) at home as a result. Certainly both have room for improvement in some areas, as well as strengths. But the other poster who complained about lack of transparency of Windows features is definitely right. And this will continue to contribute to security issues until every feature, API, and tweak is published - because once the ones that shouldn't be there have the light shined on them, they'll be removed. It will be hard to get this to happen though, because of the reasons for their existence (some of them are security or interface workarounds needed to cobble together an implementation across multiple versions...because there are some messy workarounds, there's a natural hesitancy to let the world see).

Posted by: techboy_z   Posted on: 01/12/06 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

Alert moderator to an offensive message

Subscribe to this discussion via Email or RSS

SponsoredWhite Papers, Webcasts, and Downloads

• Server Consolidation and Containment With Virtual Infrastructure VMware To meet the constant demand to deploy, maintain and grow a broad array of ... Download Now
• Three Steps You Need to Know to Stop Data Loss Varonis Sensitive data exposed to misuse or loss... it is the stuff of nightmares ... Download Now
• Building the Virtualized Enterprise with VMware Iinfrastructure VMware VMware virtualization software has been adopted by over 120,000 enterprise ... Download Now