Rawkus

Right, of course the registry vulnerabilities have been taking care off by Vista (which is out for more then 2.5 years already). And running as admin on that system is not the equivalent of running as Root on linux systems, as UAC gives the user that is running as admin a lesser token, both for file system access and execute properties. Registry virtualisation further, ensures that applications that insist on accessing the registry directly, are taken care off.

I personally like the registry above the conf file approach, as it is much much quicker to customise your system this way, then it is to using config files, where in the linux world, you really have to search where it resides, as there is no clear standard. For consumers, neither is important, they don't care about regedit anymore then they care about nano, and the good thing about Windows, is they don't need to, that is one of the reasons why Windows has such a huge market share.

Regarding IE, the fact that it isn't available on OSX (anymore) or on Linux, is hardly a reason to think it's bad, Microsoft probably decided that given the tiny marketshare, there is no reason to invest money in developing it for those systems.

LMFAO! Well played, that was hilarious.

An interesting assertion. What exactly did Microsoft build from the "ground up" 20 years ago? I'm genuinely interested in the answer.

Question 1 > Answer > Windows

Question 2 > Answer > Absolutely

It is irrelevant that Microsoft may have "Copied" the idea for Windows from Apple... As Apple "Stole" the Idea for the Mac from Zerox!

Excel is a copy (progression) of Lotus 123 which was a copy of VisiCalc... and all Browsers stem from NSCA Mosaic.

That's progress!

CS

WRT question 1, Windows wasn't built from the ground up, it was (and in some ways still is) a shell for DOS which they bought the rights to, very smart marketing but very bad coding imho.

Everything in the Office suite of apps has been bought in/absorbed by MS, there is nothing there that has been coded from the ground up; they have seen a good idea, bought it and absorbed it.

I never mentioned Apple, you did. And by the way it's Xerox, not Zerox. But thanks for playing, try to keep up next time

@sjaak327

Funny you should say they are bad at building things, Outlook is a fine mail client, together with Exchange, it is the number 1 mail system in use today, and that is not because of marketing, simply because it is a robust system, used the world over. Internet explorer isnt' bad either, IE8 as released a few months back is nothing to be ashamed off, and is tested right up there with firefox, I myself vastly prefer it over FF, but that's just a personal taste thing.

Regarding the concept of a central registry, I think it is vastly better then the concept of separate configuration files, remember they used to do that in ancient history (the ini files), and linux is still using it, maybe that might be one of the reasons why consumers aren't so Linux minded.

Is Exchange really the #1 mail app now? I would have thought that Sendmail or Postfix are probably larger in terms of overall users but I am prepared to be proven wrong.

Outlook is an awful mail client, it is riddled with vulnerabilities, hard to configure with anything except an MS server and also susceptible to a lot of the IE problems that affect all versions. If IE8 is so great why can't I get a version that runs on my Mac or Slackware machines?

I think the registry idea is truly bad, it is writable by any application that an idiot user running as root (the Windows default) gives permission to and is very hard to understand. Simple text files with clearly written comments are far superior, but again that is my humble opinion.

Shouldn't

EXEC=foobar

be

$EXEC=foobar

at the beginning if you are setting up variables and the $sign removed under the #Work Start section?

(Disclaimer: I have very limited scripting capabilities)

as I've been told that anything after # won't be displayed or considered;

Anything after a hash (#) sign won't be noticed until whatever is parsing the file comes across the next carriage return symbol IIRC.

Too bad, it's time that a company really builds something from the ground up for the Pc, the last company to do so was Microsoft, and that was 20 years ago..

An interesting assertion. What exactly did Microsoft build from the "ground up" 20 years ago? I'm genuinely interested in the answer.

They have been astonishingly successful at buying things and leveraging that success (hint: why are the print interfaces for Word, Excel and Powerpoint so different if they are part of a single suite of applications?).

They are astonishingly bad at building things (hint: Internet Explorer, Outlook, ActiveX, DLLs and the concept of a central Registry).

Disclaimer: I do not derive a single penny of my salary from promoting or supporting one OS over another, can you say the same before you answer?

As of May, 2009 more than a million passport cards have been issued to Americans. They seem to work, albeit in a limited capacity (land and sea borders in N America / Carib).

Well, I think we can all agree that limiting the travels of Americans to places closer to their land and sea borders is a good idea.

Oh, and while I am here posting responses to your totally off-topic ramblings I'll take the time to point out that as a good, patriotic American you do realise that your avatar is a violation of the flag code? Specifically this little gem:

The flag should not be used as "wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery"

And this choice item is delicious reading wrt the 'buy American' campaigns:

The flag should never be used for any advertising purpose. It should not be embroidered, printed, or otherwise impressed on such articles as cushions, handkerchiefs, napkins, boxes, or anything intended to be discarded after temporary use...

You guys are hilarious..

It's his money, he can spend it however he likes.

Good luck to the couple, I wish them a long and happy relationship.

I really don't want to get in a pissing contest, but why is it so difficult to get my CAT EVDO working with Linux? YES, I know it is simple! That's what some Linux fanatics will say. I hate to think I am that stupid, but I have NOT been able to get it to work. The only time I got it to work, all the settings were lost on reboot. Stupid or not, it is NOT simple. The bottom line is that it works fine with Windows.

Why not start a new thread with some details? Sorry to say but just stating "it doesn't work" doesn't give people much to work with.

Give the model number etc of your device, distro details, what you have tried etc etc any relevant output from either dmesg or /var/log/messages when the device is plugged/unplugged.

This has nothing to do with being stupid (or not), it can be frustrating getting things to work in Linux when manufacturers don't provide support for the things they make but generally (unless a device is really new) somebody, somewhere will have figured out how to make it play nice with a Linux distro, and if it'll work with one likely it'll work with your chosen distro.

HTH

Amen Brother - I have 13 - ya have to wonder why the Linux Yonks cannot get in a room for a couple hours and

get it sorted out?!! Too much ego, methinks. MM08 was wonderful. 5 min install without the 357

paint/sound/viewer/doc programs - each!!

BR>Jack

Linux has the potential to be a complete system if everyone would pull together. But NO! There are hundreds, maybe thousands of different distros and until they can be consolidated, they will never catch Windows. I myself have probably a dozen different distros and none of them come close to being a complete system

Linux (well GNU/Linux) already *is* a complete system; far more complete than most Windows systems actually. Almost every distro has the ability to function as a desktop, a server, a headless box, all from the get go. What would you consider is missing to make a Linux distro less than a "complete system"?

Most distros come with a myriad of applications that can be removed if not required and also with another myriad of ways to install new ones. My distro of choice gives me the option to install different package sets at install time and also a selection of kernels built to offer different functionality for different requirements. The kernels are vanilla, so if I want to install other FOSS software afterwards it's just a matter of compiling and making them from source if a binary isn't available.

The point is that they don't want to "catch Windows". They don't care; use Windows if it works for your requirements, use an alternative if Windows doesn't fit the bill, or if the overheads involved become too annoying.

For me it is Slackware and OS X, they work together fine. Each does its job and I end up with a happy experience.

If you boot from Knoppix could you post the output of the command xrandr* when the external monitor is connected and switched on.

*type man xrandr from a terminal to see what it does first if you aren't sure, but don't worry it is perfectly safe:

DESCRIPTION
   Xrandr is used to set the size, orientation and/or reflection of the
   outputs for a screen. It can also set the screen size.

   If  invoked  without any option, it will dump the state of the outputs,
   showing the existing modes for each of them, with a '+' after the  pre-
   ferred mode and a '*' after the current mode.

So much for messing with the xorg.conf file. I'll add that to the list of things not to touch

You *did* make a backup of the file before messing with it right?

Use the Ubuntu live CD to boot, mount the drive and replace the damaged xorg.conf with the backup.

Can you use the add/remove programs thingy to remove IE from any version of Windows?

The issue is *not* MS bundling a browser with their OS, it is the fact that they decided to make it an integral part of the operating system, and then claimed that Windows needed IE in order to function.

It is easy to remove Apple's Safari browser if needed, you just drag the app to the trash, it is also easy to remove any browser from all the Linux distros by either trashing them or removing the executable rights of the program.

Anything that prevents a system from Microsoft from going online has to be a good idea imho.

Could one imagine how much time and money has been spent fixing MS problems by the myriad of IT techs across the globe since the intertubes became popular? Imagine a cyber-world without ActiveX, dotNet, C#, DirectX et al and you will see what the tubes (and computing) could have been.

Microsoft is the ultimate pox on computing; they try to buy and/or stifle any competing ideas and when they can't they come up with some ludicrously inept replacement which is rammed down the throats of everybody.

Bored of trolling the computer section H2oDunc?

Posts have been deleted. Further mention of moderators or moderation will earn warnings and penalties and will also close this thread.

I think the OP has just received the answer in typical TV fashion.

A MacBook is a very capable laptop, as said above you can also run Windows either natively or in a virtual machine with relative ease.

If you are an inquisitive sort you will also find that OS X is a very good operating system with all sorts of goodies pre-packed: iLife, iPhoto, DashCode, Mail, TextEdit, and a proper Unix terminal application are all good. iWork is OK if you have the time to re-learn your word processing and office suite, if not then download and use NeoOffice.

I would disagree that you don't need any anti-virus, ClamXav has picked up several nasty things (although they were all targeted at the Win machines on my network) and may pick up OS X targeted things in the future.

The only issue I have with OS X is that the uninstaller is not very good, download AppZapper and enjoy blasting the programs you don't like into oblivion.

I have an opposite type of problem with my yahoo mail account; mail from trusted friends ends up in spam/junk folder.

Even though I click not-junk and rescue the message, the future mail from the same sender still ends up in spam/junk folder next time.

This is really getting me angry and having a detrimental affect on my sleep, my personal health and mental state of mind.

Can anyone help?

Oooh, oooh, I know this one...

<snip>

One man happily swimming in an area marked with red flags was Anders Kjell from Sweden. "I know what the red flags mean but I am not going in too deep so I don't think it is very dangerous," he said.</snip>

<snip>"There are signs, but you could easily get onto the beach without seeing one. We come from Australia so we know what a red flag means, but would someone who is not used to beaches realize its significance?" Mr Cowmeadow asked.</snip>

<snip>"I did see a sign a bit further up the road, but I think there's need for more." Mr Kjell said.</snip>

Personal responsibility takes a massive facepalm as Darwin rubs his hands gleefully in anticipation.

Blaming Phuket, TAT, Thailand et al for the drownings is asinine; these are the same clowns that think that the laws of physics don't apply when they ride a scooter in Phuket on holiday.

My PC broke a few months ago, and I had to reluctantly buy a new one. I bought an Acer. After having to plead with a shop to take my 3500 baht to get a licensed copy of Windows so I could get support, I still can't get what I need. At one point I decided to go the Linux route but found that my lack of tech savvy left me overwhelmed just reading about how to do it.

Three questions:

1) What is the primary compelling reason that leads people to choose to go to Linux?

2) Is it possible for a relative neophyte to do it?

3) Since my primary issue right now is the desire to feel safe doing online purchasing, banking, etc, (I do none of this now), is the security available for Linux any more foolproof than that available for Windows. Right now I am using Eset Nod 32 and MalwareBytes.

Thanks, and interesting thread.

Tom

OK, I'll bite. This will be a Tolstoy post though

1) There are many reasons that people decide to use Linux. It could be price (or the lack thereof), it could be freedom of having a system with countless amounts of free and excellent software available, it could be getting bitten one time too many by some malware/virus/trojan on an MS system or it could be simple curiosity. For many it is the power that it gives the user to have complete control over almost everything the computer that you have bought does. If you like to get geeky almost all distributions will give you the option to get under the hood and fiddle with just about every setting imaginable for the fun of it. Other reasons include stability, security and simplicity (yeah, I went there!)

2) A relative neophyte to what? Computers in general, Linux or what..? Various flavours of Linux offer a myriad of options and choices and there is almost certainly one that will fit your requirements. Ubuntu is generally recommended for people who have not used a Linux based computer before but it does have its critics (and limitations) which hold some valid points. Ubuntu and some others (notably Knoppix) have the ability to run the full system off a CD without installing anything so you can try it and see how it feels before you commit to making any changes to your computer. If you decide to test a 'Live CD' of Knoppix or Ubuntu you will see that it comes with 2 or 3 office suites, a bunch of browsers and all sorts of other interesting and well tested software bundled in. Free.

3) This is the most controversial question! I would maintain that a well configured Linux system is infinetely less vulnurable to internet nastiness that a Windows system, mainly due to the differing philosophies underlying each system. Bear in mind that Windows was never meant to be multi-user, that was an added functionality bolted on late in its development whereas Linux was developed from the ground up to be a secure multi-user system.

Linux is not immune to trojans and rootkits but it is far less susceptible to them and to date none have successfully propagated in the wild without user assistance.

Most Windows users run their computers with an account that has full administrator privileges which allows anything unpleaseant that they pick up on the 'net to make system wide changes but most Linux users run with a separate user account (generally it is forced at install time to set up separate accounts) and thereby any naughtiness that they might encounter would have a hard time to corrupt the entire system without help (ie inputing an Admin, 'root' in the Unix world of thinking, password).

Windows has some severe security disadvantages in this regard such as the ability for a rogue ActiveX control that is run automatically by Internet Explorer to make system-wide changes and a central registry of all user and application settings that can likewise be quite easily corrupted. We have all heard of Windows IE being hijacked and systems being compromised but that is not actually a 'flaw' per se, but rather it was built in as a feature of Internet Explorer and Windows!

With regards to specific banking sites the answer is "it depends". If they rely on customers using IE and therefore ActiveX etc then you will be out of luck on a Linux (or even Apple) system, unless you want to jump through some hoops with emulation. If your bank has a web developer who is not completely clueless then you will be able to access your account using any operating system although you might need to use Java or something like that. Any newish Linux distro will be able to cope with that. I have done my offshore banking for 11 years with Lloyds and have never accessed them via a Windows machine. Likewise I shop with Amazon, Slackware, PayPal etc without issue.

Remember that whatever system you decide to use a good strong password that is not a dictionary word and contains a combination of letters, numbers and preferably punctuation marks is your best line of defense combined with not running as the administrator account/rights unless absolutely necessary.

Sorry again for the Tolstoy post.

Windows Vista Ultimate 18 months trouble free from install to now All the free back up you require

So what is it? 18 months trouble free or issues with wireless connectivity? If you want to troll then at least try to keep your story straight since you said in the Vista SP2 thread:

I have been running it for just over a month now and now issues at all with it. It seems to have addressed the wireless network problems as now my wireless never drops out any more.

(Bolding added by me for emphasis)

I've had the same computer for several years.

Never had a problem with it.

Still using the same microsoft products that came in it.

Point, click. Perfect.

An absolutely fascinating comment to be sure.

I genuinely believe that it is compelling and rational arguments like these, provided by an expert like Texpat with *several* years of point-and-click experience that will lead us out of this *nix wilderness and into the promised land of registry corruption, disk fragmentation and DLL rape that we have all been so tragically missing.

Verily, we are fortunate that a true guru of the Microsoft way of doing things has blessed us with his wisdom. I will burn my iMac and Slacktop tomorrow now that I have seen the light.

Windows Vista Ultimate 18 months trouble free from install to now All the free back up you require

Is that the version that comes with Solitaire included? Or do I have to buy Ultimate Media Super Gamer's Edition for that?

Opera is using the MSIE engine and has as to my understanding the same security issues.

That is interesting, do you have a link for more info? SInce when has Opera used the IE engine?

Does it do that by default or does it require a plug-in to do it? Does that mean Opera can use ActiveX or VBscript or is it using some fancy Java work-around?

Thai keyboard - good point - but I suppose i could get an extra keyboard....

True, and it doesn't even need to be an Apple one nowadays, any old USB keyboard will work (but it can be annoying if you are used to using the  / ⌘ key a lot). I have a wireless Apple KB bought here and it is plain vanilla, no Thai symbols on the keys.

If you want the built-in keyboard to have Thai without using a set of stickers then buying here is probably the best bet.

I have bought a bunch of Apple products over the last few years in Phuket and have found the warranty service to be excellent.

As said above the prices are roughly comparable with the UK, I have never tested Apple's international warranties but here it has been truly 'no questions asked' replacement/repair if in the warranty (or extended Apple care) period.

The shoppingmac website is in Thailand and occasionally has some good deals on demo products or stock clearances.

Bear in mind if you want a MacBook or MBP with a Thai keyboard I'd guess you'll probably have a hard time sourcing it in the UK.

Dump all that Linux Ubuntu rubbish it's all cr**p.

Use Microsoft XP, Vista or the new Windows 7 like the majority of computer users.

Be one of smart people use Microsoft products.

An interesting contribution to a Ubuntu thread where a question has been asked and successfully resolved.

Would you care to elaborate on your lucid and well reasoned comment?

@phil2, since the issue that started this thread has been answered the thread will probably disappear into the ether now, may I suggest that you start a new thread, state exactly what is the issue and what you have tried so far to resolve it.

Try to include all relevant info such as what OS (and what version), do you have any other machines it the house that can get on line, any software or hardware upgrades you have done recently etc etc. If you are newish to the world of *nixes then say so so that people can tailor their suggestions to your skill level