Questions about Linux?

Question

Does Linux get viruses and does it limit what I can download? I realize some OS will be better depending on what you want it for but what are the best open source operating systems in general for general uses?

Answer 1

Linux and Viruses

http://www.whylinuxisbetter.net/items/viruses/index.php?lang=



Linux and Security

http://www.whylinuxisbetter.net/items/security/index.php?lang=



Having read the information above this does not mean Linux is immune

http://www.linux.com/learn/tutorials/284124-myth-busting-is-linux-immune-to-viruses



Use the Web reponsibly and nothing should present a threat. I have been running Linux since 2006 with just the Firewall on my router with no problems



Overall a Linux based platform can perform most of the tasks equally as well as a proprietary platform using the likes of Ubuntu and its derivative distros. However Linux does have its limitations with some applications and in particular gaming. For example I retain a dedicated Windows partition to run specific applications such as Office 2010 etc.



I thoroughly recommend Linux Mint 9 LTS which is built upon Ubuntu 10.04 LTS its easy to install and easy to use plus it comes with much of the software you are likely to need preinstalled



Linux Mint 9 LTS Download

http://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=52



How To Dual Boot Linux Mint and Windows 7

http://www.linuxbsdos.com/2010/12/08/how-to-dual-boot-linux-mint-10-and-windows-7/



Linux Mint 9 LTS Release Notes/User Guide

http://www.linuxmint.com/rel_isadora.php



You download the ISO. image of Linux Mint 9 LTS then you need to create a Bootable LiveCD for installation

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BurningIsoHowto



Linux Mint 9 LTS can also be run straight from the LiveCD from Boot without touching your Hard Drive



Once installed I recommend updating to Firefox 5 as Firefox 3.6 comes as default with Linux Mint 9 LTS



How To install Firefox 5 on Linux Mint 9 LTS using the Firefox Stable PPA

http://www.webupd8.org/2011/06/firefox-5-lands-in-firefox-stable-ppa.html





LUg.

Answer 2

Does Linux get viruses?



While there are Linux viruses in existence, it's very unlikely that a Linux box is going to get infected. First of all Linux operating systems tend to be very secure out of the box. Second, Linux doesn't take up much marketshare so it's not exactly a profitable platform to target. Third, the source code gets worked over quite a bit by a lot of people who make sure there is no virus code in it. Fourth, most of your software is obtained not via Google but via secure "repositories", which are servers dedicated to uploading whatever software package you may need for your particular operating system.



Does it limit what I can download?



No, of course not. You can download anything you want to download. However, what you download may not work with the system if it's an exe file or something.



What are the best open source operating systems in general for general uses?



There are tons of them. Here's a rundown of some of the easiest to use ones:



The Ubuntu family (Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, Lubuntu, etc.)



Mint



Fusion



Mandriva



Mepis



OpenSUSE

Answer 3

ok im not an expert, but im not an idiot. Linux is capable of getting viruses yes, but they are much less frequent then lets say windows. the thing about linux is that it is a open code system. that means that anyone using it can go in and tweak the program. for someone like me that doesnt really matter because i know nothing about computer programming. BUT the huge advantage to this is that there are thousands of people playing with the code all the time. if someone comes up with a better version it is submitted to the linux company and if they approve it becomes a new update. so basically linux users are working together to make their computers better (and more virus resistant.)



Will this limit what you download? yes but not always. linux still uses the same type of files (jpeg mp3 ect) but company like microsoft are trying to limit peoples access to other operating systems. there are Microsoft specific versions of launchers like java. this is where you will experience difficulty downloading. if a program had anything to do with microsoft you most likely wont be able to use it. there are some exceptions. you can still get open office (basically free microsoft office) which will let you read and edit your word documents.



dont know if this helps but this is my answer.

Answer 4

All OS can get viruses .. however Linux and Macs tend to get less probably due to 2 factors, they command much less of the market share and so the "payload" for the virus is vastly reduced, also as most Linux distros are open source, the code is being examined a lot and viruses tend to be picked up very, very quickly.



Of the Linux distros I have used the one I like the best is Ubuntu, this has the most Windows like feel, you can download and .iso from here - http://www.ubuntu.com/

burn this iso to a cd/dvd, another plus for most distros is that you can run them 'live' from the disk without having to install them to your hard drive, this gives you the oppertunity to try them out first.

I've yet to find anything I can do in windows that I cannot do in Ubuntu, the biggest issue is getting drivers for hardware .. but .. this problem is becomming less and less.



There are also excellent Ubuntu forums where there is plenty of expert help for any problems encountered.



Hope this helps

Answer 5

Linux can get viruses but I've never really seen a linux PC with a virus other than a RFI (remote file inclusion) that someone uploaded to it if it hosts a website. No it will not limit what you can download. If you are looking to just mess around with Linux CentOS, Ubuntu, and Kubuntu are some good ones.

Answer 6

Not too many people target linux to infect it with viruses. So no its not prone to getting viruses. But they do still have antiviruses and firewalls for linux just like the other operating systems as added safety. A good version of linux I have found forpeople just switching over is pclinuxos.com. Its interface is real easy to learn as well.

Answer 7

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