A little confused

[Nils Kassube]

James Takac wrote:
> On Monday 30 August 2010 05:30:03 Ioannis Vranos wrote:
> > I am not going to install an antivirus in my Linux host, in case I
> > forward some document with virus to some Windows user.
> > 
> > It is their responsibility to have an antivirus on their machines,
> > or to change their OS.

> Whilst it may be their responsibility to check their end it doesn't
> negate the sender's responsibility to check what they send is safe.
> It'd be like giving a poisoned glass of water to a thirsty person
> and saying they should have checked it. Likewise so should you as
> the one giving it.

But you don't make a chemical analysis of the water you get from someone 
else before you give it to a thirsty person, do you? Well, maybe you 
check that it doesn't smell like gasoline or that it tastes like water. 
But that would be the analogy for opening the document before giving it 
away. Of course I don't give away things where I know it is (only) a 
virus and not the expected contents, but I don't accept the obligation 
to carry the burden and check everything for hidden Windows viruses that 
don't affect my machine. After all one of the reasons for using Linux is 
that I don't want to slow down my machine with unnecessary antivirus 
software.


Nils