dpack
January 26th, 2006, 10:32 PM
Okay geeks and geekettes, I honestly tried Ubuntu 5.10, which I didn’t even download or order. A co-worker gave me one of the many free discs he ordered from the web site. Yes, to this day I still have it and will probably play with it some more later.
Just so everyone knows I have come up the ranks with Microsoft being a steady user of: MS-DOS, Win3.11, Win9x, Win2K, and WinXP. I am an advanced Windows user and my career is in Information Technology supporting Microsoft networks. I know nothing about Linux nor have I even played with it until now.
I first did a test run via dual-booting Windows and Ubuntu. I played with it for I believe 3 days just to get a feel for it. I also went through looking at all my program alternatives. Everything looked pretty cool and I understood a lot right off the bat without having the first question. So then I decided that the only way I can learn it is to USE it. I wiped my hard drive clean and did a clean install of Ubuntu. I ran and used the OS for 2 weeks straight (everyday for hours at a time) before I ended up going back to Windows.
When I did have questions I was able to find my answers by searching this forum (great help forum by the way!), looking over official and unofficial guides, and Google searches. The roadblocks I encountered that took my experience to a halt was NOT because of me not understanding or not knowing how to do something. My problems were incompatibility between Ubuntu and hardware and software.
Some of the projects I do require me to use certain programs that are Windows only. While Wine did work for me on some programs, others I couldn’t even get installed or did get installed but then it did not run or run correctly. For hardware, Xine offered no support for my scanner and I certainly couldn’t install the manufacturer’s Windows only software. I also had issues with my external USB hard disk that I use for backup and file storage, which is critical to my operation.
So I guess if I was the “standard home user” of Internet browsing, emailing, IM’ing, and maybe making a few documents and spreadsheets, Ubuntu would have been PERFECT. Applause! A stable OS free of viruses and spyware and that is also FREE. But I’m not a standard user with all the intricate projects I do.
So, Ubuntu is not for me…yet. Most people I see complaining about Windows have good arguments of the issues they have/hate. So I’d like to address those issues Windows users have. By no means am I here to “preach” or shove Microsoft down your throat. What I am about to write is for the users who tried Ubuntu (or any other Linix distro for that matter) and couldn’t get it do what they wanted and were forced to go back to the OS everyone loves to hate. Since those users have to use Windows let me offer some suggestions of how to setup and run Windows to make it very stable and secure.
1. First things first, do a clean install of Windows! Don’t do OS upgrades! If you buy a new Windows OS, wipe that hard drive out and install clean.
2. After the clean install download all the latest hardware drivers from the manufacturer’s web sites and install.
3. Install all Windows service packs and critical updates.
4. Assuming you have a dedicated high speed connection: get a router that has a hardware firewall. This was something I didn’t even have to purchase. I signed up with Vonage (I’m not promoting or plugging anything here) and they sent me a Linksys router. By simply hooking that router up I can run a Shield’s Up test at grc.com and my PC shows Stealth Mode. The router hands out DHCP so my PC is on an internal LAN instead of sitting out there on the Net with a public IP.
5. The first program to install after you install Windows is ZoneAlarm! Let it configure your PC for Internet access. Then as you install your other programs you’ll be prompted to which programs you want accessing the web one-by-one verses multiple pop-ups all at once confusing you and not knowing what is what. I prefer ZoneAlarm over using the Windows XP firewall. I do use RealVNC (free version, yes I am aware this is not an encrypted connection, but it’s free) to connect to my PC remotely and not remote desktop, which most people know is over port 5900. I configured my Linksys router to do a port forward for 5900 to pass along the traffic. To secure that, I configure RealVNC to only allow connections from a certain IP range (my IP’s from work) and then place that range in the Trusted Zone in ZoneAlarm. That way ZoneAlarm blocks all incoming traffic over port 5900 except me at work. Windows is now secure.
6. The next big complaint is viruses and spyware. This is easy to combat once you have Windows locked down and using good software, software that is FREE and STABLE I might add. I use AntiVir for virus scanning and Ad Aware for spyware scanning. Not once have I ever had either of these programs find something on my system. I practically don’t really need to run them. But to help keep your system free of junk use the following software:
a. For browsing the Internet I use FireFox/Opera. Do NOT use Internet Explorer. If you must use IE then most definitely refer to Step 7 below.
b. For email I use Mozilla Thunderbird and Sunbird minimized to tray for events and tasks.
c. For documents I use OpenOffice. So using the following software there is no need to use Microsoft Office. That is unless you must connect to an Exchange server. Most home users don’t that I know of.
d. For Instant Messaging I use Gaim. It’s one free program that connects me to all instead of running separately YIM, AIM, Google Talk, MSN, etc.
7. This is a biggie and most people are guilty of this. DO NOT run your Windows account with Administrator privileges! Linux users don’t run as Root all the time do they? Of course not! Yes, it is convenient to be able to install software on the fly, make hardware changes, adjust system settings, but you don’t do that all the time! They way I do it is I will run my account as an admin from day one of my Windows install. After about two weeks, I have everything I want installed and configured the way I want it. Then I log in as the Administrator and demote my account to being a standard User (not even a Power User). You don’t need admin rights to browse the Net, do email, IM, create/edit documents, etc. When you do need to do something that requires admin rights, log off and then in as administrator, or use fast user switching (XP only) to quickly go in as Admin so you don’t quit your session, or you can use the Run As command under the right-click menu.
a. Referring back to Step 6 part A, if you must use Internet Explorer you definitely want your account to have User only privileges. Say you do go to a web site that has malicious code. Well, it can’t install to your machine because it won’t have the rights too! That also goes for viruses.
b. A lot of people may take a little time getting used to running without admin rights, but I like to tell them this analogy. When you leave home you lock the door don’t you? Of course! You want your house secure! Well, isn’t it more convenient for you just to leave the door unlocked, or to just remove the door completely? Yes, but then anyone can get in. You make the sacrifice of carrying a key and locking the door every time you leave. It’s the same thing with Windows. It is less convenient to not run admin rights but it is way more secure that way. Microsoft is actually getting with the program on this and Vista will be doing a lot of this automatically.
8. The other security measure most home users don’t do is having a password on their account and/or the admin account, or if they do it is a simple password. Create a complex password for all accounts on the PC! It should not be a dictionary word or just a string of numbers.
9. The other argument is supporting a monopolistic company hell bent on taking over the world! It’s Pinky, Pinky and the Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain…sorry. The only support I am giving to Microsoft is a single user license purchase of an OS that does everything I need without issues. That’s it. I also have no plans of ever using Office at home either. I don’t even own an Xbox! LOL Other than installing critical updates that are automatically downloaded, I have no interaction with Microsoft or their web site. If me putting a product to use at its full potential doing all my computing needs that is stable makes me a Linux backstabbing monkey boy…well, then I guess so be it. LOL Windows just works for me.
Doing all of the above is NOT that difficult. Not only have I never had any spyware or a virus on my machine, Windows has never crashed either. I have a rock solid system that has 100% compatibility with all my hardware and software and is pretty much guaranteed to support any additions I make to it.
So, computer users that are forced to stay with Windows, I hope you take at least some or all of the points I have made into consideration. Doing the above WILL make Windows secure and solid. I’ll be keeping my eye out for future distros of Ubuntu. When I can get it to do everything I need, I will most definitely say bye, bye to Microsoft, at least at home. Got to deal with it at work.
Keep workin’ it Ubuntu developers! You got a great package coming up the ranks and great people who use it that are very friendly and supportive of others user here on this board.
David
Just so everyone knows I have come up the ranks with Microsoft being a steady user of: MS-DOS, Win3.11, Win9x, Win2K, and WinXP. I am an advanced Windows user and my career is in Information Technology supporting Microsoft networks. I know nothing about Linux nor have I even played with it until now.
I first did a test run via dual-booting Windows and Ubuntu. I played with it for I believe 3 days just to get a feel for it. I also went through looking at all my program alternatives. Everything looked pretty cool and I understood a lot right off the bat without having the first question. So then I decided that the only way I can learn it is to USE it. I wiped my hard drive clean and did a clean install of Ubuntu. I ran and used the OS for 2 weeks straight (everyday for hours at a time) before I ended up going back to Windows.
When I did have questions I was able to find my answers by searching this forum (great help forum by the way!), looking over official and unofficial guides, and Google searches. The roadblocks I encountered that took my experience to a halt was NOT because of me not understanding or not knowing how to do something. My problems were incompatibility between Ubuntu and hardware and software.
Some of the projects I do require me to use certain programs that are Windows only. While Wine did work for me on some programs, others I couldn’t even get installed or did get installed but then it did not run or run correctly. For hardware, Xine offered no support for my scanner and I certainly couldn’t install the manufacturer’s Windows only software. I also had issues with my external USB hard disk that I use for backup and file storage, which is critical to my operation.
So I guess if I was the “standard home user” of Internet browsing, emailing, IM’ing, and maybe making a few documents and spreadsheets, Ubuntu would have been PERFECT. Applause! A stable OS free of viruses and spyware and that is also FREE. But I’m not a standard user with all the intricate projects I do.
So, Ubuntu is not for me…yet. Most people I see complaining about Windows have good arguments of the issues they have/hate. So I’d like to address those issues Windows users have. By no means am I here to “preach” or shove Microsoft down your throat. What I am about to write is for the users who tried Ubuntu (or any other Linix distro for that matter) and couldn’t get it do what they wanted and were forced to go back to the OS everyone loves to hate. Since those users have to use Windows let me offer some suggestions of how to setup and run Windows to make it very stable and secure.
1. First things first, do a clean install of Windows! Don’t do OS upgrades! If you buy a new Windows OS, wipe that hard drive out and install clean.
2. After the clean install download all the latest hardware drivers from the manufacturer’s web sites and install.
3. Install all Windows service packs and critical updates.
4. Assuming you have a dedicated high speed connection: get a router that has a hardware firewall. This was something I didn’t even have to purchase. I signed up with Vonage (I’m not promoting or plugging anything here) and they sent me a Linksys router. By simply hooking that router up I can run a Shield’s Up test at grc.com and my PC shows Stealth Mode. The router hands out DHCP so my PC is on an internal LAN instead of sitting out there on the Net with a public IP.
5. The first program to install after you install Windows is ZoneAlarm! Let it configure your PC for Internet access. Then as you install your other programs you’ll be prompted to which programs you want accessing the web one-by-one verses multiple pop-ups all at once confusing you and not knowing what is what. I prefer ZoneAlarm over using the Windows XP firewall. I do use RealVNC (free version, yes I am aware this is not an encrypted connection, but it’s free) to connect to my PC remotely and not remote desktop, which most people know is over port 5900. I configured my Linksys router to do a port forward for 5900 to pass along the traffic. To secure that, I configure RealVNC to only allow connections from a certain IP range (my IP’s from work) and then place that range in the Trusted Zone in ZoneAlarm. That way ZoneAlarm blocks all incoming traffic over port 5900 except me at work. Windows is now secure.
6. The next big complaint is viruses and spyware. This is easy to combat once you have Windows locked down and using good software, software that is FREE and STABLE I might add. I use AntiVir for virus scanning and Ad Aware for spyware scanning. Not once have I ever had either of these programs find something on my system. I practically don’t really need to run them. But to help keep your system free of junk use the following software:
a. For browsing the Internet I use FireFox/Opera. Do NOT use Internet Explorer. If you must use IE then most definitely refer to Step 7 below.
b. For email I use Mozilla Thunderbird and Sunbird minimized to tray for events and tasks.
c. For documents I use OpenOffice. So using the following software there is no need to use Microsoft Office. That is unless you must connect to an Exchange server. Most home users don’t that I know of.
d. For Instant Messaging I use Gaim. It’s one free program that connects me to all instead of running separately YIM, AIM, Google Talk, MSN, etc.
7. This is a biggie and most people are guilty of this. DO NOT run your Windows account with Administrator privileges! Linux users don’t run as Root all the time do they? Of course not! Yes, it is convenient to be able to install software on the fly, make hardware changes, adjust system settings, but you don’t do that all the time! They way I do it is I will run my account as an admin from day one of my Windows install. After about two weeks, I have everything I want installed and configured the way I want it. Then I log in as the Administrator and demote my account to being a standard User (not even a Power User). You don’t need admin rights to browse the Net, do email, IM, create/edit documents, etc. When you do need to do something that requires admin rights, log off and then in as administrator, or use fast user switching (XP only) to quickly go in as Admin so you don’t quit your session, or you can use the Run As command under the right-click menu.
a. Referring back to Step 6 part A, if you must use Internet Explorer you definitely want your account to have User only privileges. Say you do go to a web site that has malicious code. Well, it can’t install to your machine because it won’t have the rights too! That also goes for viruses.
b. A lot of people may take a little time getting used to running without admin rights, but I like to tell them this analogy. When you leave home you lock the door don’t you? Of course! You want your house secure! Well, isn’t it more convenient for you just to leave the door unlocked, or to just remove the door completely? Yes, but then anyone can get in. You make the sacrifice of carrying a key and locking the door every time you leave. It’s the same thing with Windows. It is less convenient to not run admin rights but it is way more secure that way. Microsoft is actually getting with the program on this and Vista will be doing a lot of this automatically.
8. The other security measure most home users don’t do is having a password on their account and/or the admin account, or if they do it is a simple password. Create a complex password for all accounts on the PC! It should not be a dictionary word or just a string of numbers.
9. The other argument is supporting a monopolistic company hell bent on taking over the world! It’s Pinky, Pinky and the Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain…sorry. The only support I am giving to Microsoft is a single user license purchase of an OS that does everything I need without issues. That’s it. I also have no plans of ever using Office at home either. I don’t even own an Xbox! LOL Other than installing critical updates that are automatically downloaded, I have no interaction with Microsoft or their web site. If me putting a product to use at its full potential doing all my computing needs that is stable makes me a Linux backstabbing monkey boy…well, then I guess so be it. LOL Windows just works for me.
Doing all of the above is NOT that difficult. Not only have I never had any spyware or a virus on my machine, Windows has never crashed either. I have a rock solid system that has 100% compatibility with all my hardware and software and is pretty much guaranteed to support any additions I make to it.
So, computer users that are forced to stay with Windows, I hope you take at least some or all of the points I have made into consideration. Doing the above WILL make Windows secure and solid. I’ll be keeping my eye out for future distros of Ubuntu. When I can get it to do everything I need, I will most definitely say bye, bye to Microsoft, at least at home. Got to deal with it at work.
Keep workin’ it Ubuntu developers! You got a great package coming up the ranks and great people who use it that are very friendly and supportive of others user here on this board.
David