Linux vs. Windows Viruses

[Teodor Iliescu]

On Tue, 7 Oct 2003, Jason Shein wrote:

> A good article on Linux vs. Windows Viruses, and the general working of
> Linux. Send this to people you are trying to convert over. Might just be
> the final push for some...
> 

>From http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article09-115

Is Windows a Virus?

No, Windows is not a virus. Here's what viruses do:

    * They replicate quickly - okay, Windows does that. 

    * Viruses use up valuable system resources, slowing down the system as
they do so - okay, Windows does that. 

    * Viruses will, from time to time, trash your hard disk - okay,
Windows does that too. 

    * Viruses are usually carried, unknown to the user, along with
valuable programs and systems. Sigh... Windows does that, too. 

    * Viruses will occasionally make the user suspect their system is too
slow (see 2) and the user will buy new hardware. Yup, that's with Windows,
too. 

Until now it seems Windows is a virus but there are fundamental
differences:Viruses are well supported by their authors, are running on
most systems, their program code is fast, compact and efficient and they
tend to become more sophisticated as they mature.

So Windows is not a virus.

It's a bug.


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