Antivirus choices for an old offline computer

[Anupam]

I also used to bash Microsoft earlier hearing other people bash about it. But, when I started to use my head, I began to realize that here I am, working on Windows, using it, and I am still bashing it... why?

I know about Linux, and agree it's a superior system, but why is it that even after being there for so many years, it still lags behind Windows? The problem lies with Linux itself.

There are just too many distros. Agreed that this may be the beauty of free Linux, but the very same thing acts against it too. A new user wanting to use Linux is just overwhelmed by so many choices.. and add to that, different people suggest different distros. Again, even if he chooses one, that might not just work out of the box for him, like Windows does. Given a particular system, chances are, Windows will work out of the box more than a particular Linux distro. Then, there's the issue of drivers, and other alternate programs.

He is asked to post in forums, and for different distros, has to post in different forums, and even there, it's not necessary that he will find the answers, or, even answered properly.

There are so many distros... so many desktops, so many software repositories, and what not. So many Linux distros just keep popping up, and so many keep disappearing. Why is all that?

There should be some kind of standard. If there was, then hardware manufacturers would be willing to create drivers for these. With so much diversion, it's a hassle for hardware manufacturers to create drivers. With Windows, there is no such problem.

If choosing and using Linux was not so hard, more and more people would be using Linux. Why wouldn't they, it's free. But, still, more people continue to use Windows, and pay for it, because it's less trouble using it, or solving issues with it.

Linux might be good, but to be used widely, and gain acceptance, these issues need to be solved.

[torres-no-tan-magnifico]

Well said Anupam!

[MidnightCowboy]

We seem well departed now from the original topic here but I'm still lovin' the discussion.

Yes there is a lot of choice with Linux, but it is common sense to be selective and do some research beforehand. The same applies to cars. Would you buy one blind without looking at some reviews first? Also, you wouldn't test drive a Ferrari if you only wanted something to drive to the shops.

Looking at the most popular comments on our site, speed and security are right at the top. With Linux you can have a system that is many times faster than Windows and (ex. servers) totally secure unless users run 24/7 as root or install stuff outside of the official repositories.

Going back to speed, and having just done it, I know how long it takes to update a Windows 7 system and all its programs using a Secunia scan. All of this happens in the background with Linux and the only choices users need to make is when and how often, unless they want to be real picky and deselect some components for whatever reason.

Bottom line:

• Excluding download time it takes about 5 minutes to burn an average live Linux ISO.
• Three minutes later this will be booted on your Windows machine.
• It takes less than five minutes to try out the favorite functions for identifying the most common of the possible system incompatibilities such as network settings, changing themes and playing a video.

NVIDIA will be top of the incompatibility list but anything relative here is often visible from the plain desktop without needing to run a program. The down side to these is you can't try out the driver(s) recommended by the built in tool in a live session. No matter, just move to another distro.

Excluding the minimalistic distros, all of the programs required for every day use are included so you can run through the full range of office, audio and image functions during a live session without having to install anything else, although you can also do this too if you want.

Personally, I don't find 15 minutes per live session of Linux is time wasted when compared to that users spend in Faceblog, Twooter, Likemyding and YesTube. You might be pleasantly surprised by the results and if not, dear old Windows will still be on your machine waiting for the next Nigerian email scam and drive-by download.

[Jojo Yee]

Originally Posted by Anupam

If choosing and using Linux was not so hard, more and more people would be using Linux. Why wouldn't they, it's free.

Why Linux cannot be popular on desktops? The answer to it has been: Because it doesn't come preinstalled in most PCs that you want to buy from the markets.

Q: Linux is popular in many areas of computing including smartphones and servers, but it has never had quite the same breakthrough on desktops - do you think it will ever happen?

A: So I think that in order to make it in a consumer market, you really do need to be pre-installed. And as Android has shown, Linux really can be very much a consumer product. So it's not that the consumer market itself would necessarily be a fundamentally hard nut to crack, but the "you need to come preinstalled" thing is a big thing...

Sources:
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-18419231
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFKxlYNfT_o

[George.J]

I never had to install drivers on my system after installing Linux Mint, and it still worked perfectly. I give full marks to this. While re-installing Windows this isn't the case, the touchpad drivers, graphics drivers, I've to download everything.

Various distros' comes with all the essential utilites packed into it, and mostly the best, so users don't need to install each and every software like Windows.

Linux is fast and secure, that should make it ideal for old computers.


Like Jojoyee said, if Linux came pre-installed on PC's or laptop's its popularity would soar.

[garth]

Originally Posted by MidnightCowboy

We seem well departed now from the original topic here......?

Naughty MC........go stand in the corner