But, I can also say I have found Windows to be “secure.” I have *NEVER* have a virus, Trojan, worm, etc, and have experienced only the most harmless of tracking cookies. It’s really not so much the OS in any given case as much as it is the user sitting in front of the screen. (BTW, in over 25 years of using computers I have had one virus–on a Macintosh!)

Linux is open source, and I have compiled each software package. I also have added a function to each of the packages that check the context of execution for each program. If the context is not kosher, I am warned and program execution is suspended. Yes, I know that there are ways to fool my function, but I also know that it is not worth malware authors’ time to customize his/her spyware just to run on my system.

There are also kernel modules that prevent programs that are stored on common user directories from being executed. Linux programs are mostly open source. Therefore, it is able to be audited for spyware. Several attempts have been made to trojanize Linux based programmes, and these attempts were exposed once the good hackers looked at the source. Since Linux is open source, hackers who design Linux distributions can make tight from the start. They can include preconfigured firewalls and such. Linux was also designed from the outset to accomodate multiple users (as was Unix). Security was implemented at the very beginning and is part of the core of the operating system. Windows was originally designed for ease of use, and integration aspects have allowed each program to communicate with other programs as a default. In Windows, it is easy to send a Windows message to a button to similate a click or to get the value of a button or a textbox (including password enties). I have made programs operate even when passwords were not entered into the program simply by sending messages to windows handles.

Spyware will become a problem on computers whose owners are stupid, however. These are the people who insist on installing and running dodgey programs as root. Even the most ’secure’ operating system can be compromized because of an idiot (with administrative powers) behind a keyboard. Most of those who install Linux, however will continue to be safe because of the fact that the software they will run will for the most part be freely available from their Linux distibution’s website.

For a binary distro with emphasis on volunteer development
you can try Debian (the “sarge” testing release is recommended)
pro: binairies install fast, can configure everything
con: building from source is problematic, must configure everything, stable release old
http://www.debian.org/

For a source distro with emphasis on fitting user needs
you can try Gentoo
pro: you can build programs how you want with only what you need, can install the latest bleeding edge software or patch (after building it)
con: building from source is long and more involved, limited sets of binaries available
http://www.gentoo.org/

For a binaries distro with emphasis on community help
you can try Ubuntu
pro: binairies install fast, doesn’t need much configuring, friendly community, new release every 6 months
con: not as much configuring possible, installing from source difficult
http://www.ubuntulinux.org/

This is just brief summaries based in part on hearsay.
Your mileage may vary.

With Windows you’re basically trusting MS to do something about security concers, since you can’t change, fix or even look at the source of the OS components.

With an open source linux distro you can install what you want, without hidden or linked programs that may not be of any use to you.

Further, free (as in freedom) open source programs are much more likely to be fixed even if they are found vulnerable since anyone can fix the source and share it with others.

Linux gives YOU the chance to make it secure.
With MS you don’t even have the chance to do anything but wait for the golden patch.

No, it is not. The only reason that there is not a large spyware development for linux that there is for windows is that very few people run linux compared to windows. If that demographic changes then you will start finding your precious linux box that is ‘free’ of spyware cramed to the gills with it just as a windows box is.

Security through unpopularity is not the real way to go.

Since the computer is one that is basically unusable, and the data has already been wiped out, why not give Linux a try. Try Mandrake, Suse, or even Slackware. You can always re-install Windows if you feel it is necessary. You can download these distibutions for no money at at, and you will have the support of many different people and can get help from many sites such st http://www.freelink.cx or http://www.linuxhelp.net . As far as Winblows goes, I have voer 5 computers, and I use Winblows 98 on one partition. The rest use Linux and BSD. Iw ill rid myslef of Winblows completely once I am no longer forced to use it for embedded z-world systems development. I am currently lobbying http://www.z-world.com to release Dynamic C for Linux. I am also warning them that I am working to pursuade my client to switch to the competition because of free-er software. WE NOW HAVE A REAL SAY IN HOW WE USE ARE COMPUTERS! USE IT!