by Eck » 2008-06-28 16:57
Well, Windows doesn't come with anti-virus protection. The premise seems to be a default Vista vs. a default Debian Etch installation.
Go to a website with Vista and click a link that downloads a happy virus onto the system. The default Windows Defender provided would be happy to allow a lot of those. Boom! Infected.
Default Debian doesn't exist. Besides installing the Kernel and some basic administrative tools to get you going, there isn't even a browser installed unless you decide to. Likely (but not required), you allowed Debian Installer to access the internet but since nearly all virus's are Windows virus's even that won't hurt the system even with no activation of the iptables firewall. Until you install some sort of browser or somehow go seeking out something bad infection is impossible.
Once GNU utils, vendor applications, desktops, etc are added to your Debian installation (usually the same stuff as in other distributions with the exception of some hooks into the Debian administration and package management tools and fixes to the software provided by Debian maintainers), you are then open to any vulnerabilities that are generally the same as using the software in any Linux distribution. Debian has security maintainers that are constantly providing updates to close any vulnerabilities discovered. Much faster than the once a month Microsoft Patch Tuesday updates. Some Microsoft Windows vulnerabilities take months, years, never to get patched.
There really is no direct comparison between Debian's GNU/Linux distribution and Microsoft Windows since Debian software varies between every single installation.
And, a facelift? For what? The default wallpaper seen if you install the desktop task? KDE and Gnome are as released by KDE and Gnome. You want to give it a facelift then choose different themes and decorations. Change the taskbar size, colors, etc, etc. Put it somewhere else if you like. Debian doesn't do decorations, the users do.
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