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Subject: Re: [OT] Development Release: Mandrakelinux 10.1 beta 1 [OT]

Author: Peter Skinner

Date: 23:38:33 08/09/04

Go up one level in this thread


On August 09, 2004 at 23:07:44, Eugene Nalimov wrote:

>I don't run any stand-alone firewall or router, just plain DSL modem.

This is dangerous. And I am sure you know why. With Windows XP shipping with raw
sockets left wide open and the numerous exploits taking advantage of this I am
surprised an MS employee would not use protection.

It is all over the MS website, Windows Update Site, and various other MS pages
that installing a firewall of some sort is almost _required_.

The ICF that comes with Windows XP is hardly a firewall. It only monitors
inbound traffic, and hardly does that.

I _used_ to have a software firewall as well as my Clark Connect dedicated
firewall box, but the software firewall was messing with ports and such so I
decided to remove it.

I am just shocked you run with no protection, even if you _are_ using the ICF in
Windows XP you are running _unprotected_ :)


>And yes: I am regularly installing software updates from Windows Update.

I install nearly every Windows Update there is except the one for HighMat CD
burning support. I don't need it, so why bother.

>I am average user and running Visual Studio, MS Office, Adobe Photoshop, some
>digital photo utilities, and CD burning package. Have lot of different stuff
>connected to the box -- modem, DSL model, external disk drives, external CD
>recorder, SCSI printer, digital camera, CF reader, etc.
>
>I don't know much about Windows internals. I am not Windows guru. I am not >able to write all the scripts mentioned in that thread because I have no time >to learn all those glorious details. I have more than enough to fill my head >on my full time job, hobby project, family, etc.

I am busy with work and family as well. I _took_ the time to learn various
scripts that MS uses in patching things that go wrong. I also took the time to
learn how to do all the slipstreaming so I could make myself an unattended setup
for home when things go wrong.

I am hardly a "Windows Guru" either, but I am learning the more technical
aspects of the operating system as a result of using Linux. When configuring
drivers, desktops, and application in Linux, learning the scripting value in
Windows almost seems required. It is actually 200 times easier believe it or
not.

Peter



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