[X4U] OT windows on imac

[TjL]

On 4/12/06, Eugene <list-themacintoshguy at fsck.net> wrote:

> Yes, with a Windoze box, you always have to be concerned.

Not if you follow some sensible steps for self-protection.

Bring out the tar and feathers, but here it goes: a properly
maintained Windows XP SP2 is not much different than a properly
maintained OS X when it comes to security.  That means

Your biggest security threats come from 1) not using a firewall {or
two...it's your internet condom, be extra safe}, 2) using Internet
Explorer, and 3) using Outlook Express (and to a lesser extent
Outlook.


> Yes, you must have anti-virus software installed and running at all
> times and also have some firewall (built-in or 3rd-party) enabled.

Actually if you don't use Outlook Express and IE, you can pretty much
turn off the automatic scanning of antivirus protection and just scan
files that you download.  But since you are only downloading reputable
software that you really need from trustworthy sources and certainly
are NOT going to download possibly illegal "free" or "cracked"
versions of programs from unsafe sources, you're good.


> Yes, you must keep up with every crappy Windoze update.  :-)

False.  You need to keep up with "critical" Windows updates.  These
can be set to download and install automatically even more simply than
what OS X does.

Other updates are suggested but not necessarily, well, necessary.

I believe XP SP2 turns on the firewall by default and sets automatic
updates to download and install automatic updates automatically.

> No, you can browse the web in "relative" safety by using a 3rd-party
> browser like Firefox, but you must avoid M$IE at all costs.

I use IE for http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com and
http://officeupdate.microsoft.com.  Other than that I leave it safely
away.


> If you want us to help you really secure a Windoze box, we need more
> details about the tasks that you want to do with Windoze.  Will it
> be mostly web browsing?  How about email?  Any instant messenging?
> Games?  MMORPGs?

Indeed... and again I'll say, if you are setting up a user account for
your offspring, make it a NON-administrator account.  That will
prevent them from installing stuff that can muck up the works (which
of course they say they'll never do).  And for Pete's sake, don't make
your admin password something they can guess like their name or
birthday or yours.

TjL