[kwlug-disc] A little anti-Windows humour for the group

[Paul Nijjar]

On Sun, Jan 11, 2015 at 06:31:41PM -0500, Chris Irwin wrote:
> On 01/11/2015 12:17 PM, CrankyOldBugger wrote:
> >I used to live in Download.com way back when, but even before I
> >discovered Linux I started to grow disillusioned with free Windows
> >software, mainly because of how Windows freeware was getting laced
> >with all sorts of scary things, even from a prestigious website
> >like download.com <http://download.com>, which is owned by
> >cnet.com <http://cnet.com>.
> >
> >This article by How To Geek shows the messes you can get into if
> >you try to download the "Top 10" recommended freeware packages.  A
> >fun read:
> >
> >http://www.howtogeek.com/198622/heres-what-happens-when-you-install-the-top-10-download.com-apps/
> 
> Unfortunately, the only thing stopping this from happening on our
> systems is popularity.

That was a really good article. We should print copies and make them
available at Computer Recycling. 

I actually do not believe that the only thing stopping this from
happening on our systems is popularity. I believe there are two things
stopping this: 

- Centralized, trusted repositories that come with standard mechanisms
  for adding/removing programs. (For Windows, ninite.com helps a lot,
  but it is not comprehensive.) 

- A culture that defends transparency and that frowns upon including
  undesireable addons in software (just look at the brouhaha over
  Ubuntu including the Amazon filter for Unity). 

The mobile phone app stores have learned this lesson. I am sure there is
still malware on some of these programs, but it probably much less of
an issue than with Windows. 


> How many project pages have I gone to that said "Ubuntu users can
> add SomeGuy99's PPA". Who knows what that's throwing in there.

Yes, there is an element of trust, and there have been times when that
trust has been abused. The Windows freeware ecosystem does not deserve
that trust. The Ubuntu ecosystem (for the most part) does.

- Paul 

-- 
http://pnijjar.freeshell.org