Re: Windows vs Linux Security

From: David L. Johnson (david.johnson_at_lehigh.edu)
Date: 09/16/03 

Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2003 15:33:48 -0400

On Tue, 16 Sep 2003 09:12:06 +0200, Fred Zwarts wrote:

>> Unfortunately, it is often very difficult to function as a mortal user
>> in Windows, so most people outside of corporate desktops end up running
>> as "administrator" most of the time anyway.
>
> Just like most Linux users like to log in as root. We wanted to offer a
> closed system, where people could log in only as a "mortal user", but they
> claim that they really need root access.

Well, we don't seem to have trouble with that. We have, so far, only a
few linux boxes in semi-public sites, which only allow users to log in
with standard axcess. We will have more. But even those with their "own"
machines, like me, use user accounts.

The problem with most Windows boxes is that it is hard, if not impossible,
to get users set up with non-supervisor access. Yeah, linux users want to
have root access, but they quickly learn not to run as root all the time.
Windows users effectively do that, which is why user error can be so
devastating in Windows. 

-- 
David L. Johnson
   __o   | "Business!" cried the Ghost. "Mankind was my business. The
 _`\(,_  | common welfare  was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, 
(_)/ (_) | and benevolence, were, all,  my business. The dealings of my
           trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my 
business!" --Dickens, "A Christmas Carol"

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