[AntiVirus + Ubuntu] was - Re: And another Ubuntu convert!

[Doug Pollard]

Rashkae wrote:
> Smoot Carl-Mitchell wrote:
>
>   
>> Creating vectors for the spread of malware seems to be the main threat
>> these days.  To go back to the disease metaphor, running AV on a desktop
>> Linux box might be the equivalent of a young healthy person getting a
>> flu shot. The risk of side effects from the shot may be greater than the
>> benefit.  However, if the young person spends a lot of time with his
>> grandmother, then it may be worthwhile for that young person to get a
>> flu shot to protect her grandmother who is in a high risk group. Think
>> Windows desktops served by a Linux mail server.
>>
>> So whether you run AV software comes down to a risk assessment.  In the
>> aggregate, I think the current Linux desktop user community is probably
>> in a low risk group.  That could change as desktop Linux becomes more
>> popular with less sophisticated users.
>>     
>
> The nice thing about Linux is that it's really hard for the less
> sophisticated users to aquire and execute malware.  Unlike windows
> world, there is no click/install executables that you can aquire from
> untrusted sources.
>
> The big big, and I think, in retrospect, unfortunate exception to this
> is Firefox extensions.  Firefox will gleefully install extensions, that
> can and are starting to be malicious, with nothing more than a click
> through warning.  (and if experience in this field has taught me
> anything, click through, even password through ala sudo, provides very
> little protection from the less sophisticated user.)
>
>   
As per usual I misunderstood the discussion. I guess  since I came late 
to the subject  I did not realize we were talking about ships..  I was 
thinking in terms of a smaller cruising sailboat. Maybe between 30and 40 
feet with some modern accommodations.  Light and flexible might be a 
great thing in such a boat. 
    A 35 ft boat that could be pulled up on a beach would be a fine 
thing in the Bahamas.  She would be great on Hamburger beach at 
Georgetown and would be greatly admired by all setting out a norther at 
anchor.