Topic: Is windows for dummies? (Read 3235 times)

I know you're speaking generally, but for security you probably shouldn't play games on the same system you keep your wallet

Well things are slightly different from my perspective, I never really knew about Linux atall for a long time in my life, So being around a windows environment I started being quite a avid gamer, Now I know a little about Linux, I can never fully "move" over untill I can play my games on Linux.

Everyone says wine or playonlinux, But I don't find half a day trying to programme my system to play something that is not designed to play on that system, fun!

So I actually use both (different systems, not duel boot) when the higher powers in this world see Bitcoin as more of a threat, There will be (mark my words) Windows developed worms/trojans to steel the wallet.dat to corrupt our little world, So all my Bit coin stuff is behind tor and backup and encripted ......  etc

So I don't think windows is for dummies, Can be quite usefull (and powerfull tool) if you know what to do with it, I think it's more a case of "if the shoe fits" scenario.

I gotta say, total waste of money to pay money for a new operating system you will only use for Bitcoin.  Even a virtual windows machine would need to buy a license, where you can get linux for free.

Once you get used to Linux you will never want to pay money for a lesser OS.

Use an USB stick.

What you use the computer for is more important than what operating system you have.  If your machine is on the internet 24/7, you are an easier target.  If you load the machine temporarily, much harder to attack.  Every extra program and website you use is that much more risk of picking up something.  Simply joining a bitcoin IRC channel is going to paint a target on the connecting IP address.

Windows has more bot-nets, browser exploits, and weird services that can be a exploited.  But it's a lot easier to use and nags you about firewall, anti-virus, and updates where Linux won't complain if you leave it unpatched.  I think using VPN software is easier to learn in Windows.

If you install every service on Linux, leave it on the network, and don't know how to patch it, you will get hacked just like Windows.  My plan is to use an old laptop with latest software updates for sensitive transactions.  The main trouble here is, if the laptop is hardly used, it is vulnerable while downloading the updates.  But, at least I won't have to download and burn a new LiveCD every month.

Yeah, this is true, I see them every day: Why WinRar doesn't work in Linux?...What do you mean I have to get the Linux version?..Where is Windows media player?...My savegames are not working, my *game isn't  working...I have a DVD with all my favourite programs, none of them is working...
They do not seem to grasp the concept that Linux is a whole different world, and expect to use it the way they used Windows before.

Good thing they always go back to Windows along with the other geniuses  

I run windows with ESET antivirus. Havent had a single virus in over a year now. Not to mention i did some other stuff to make sure the download couldnt be tracked.

I've been running Win7 for about 2 years now and have only had 1 issue with it.

Love the humility....

Security is only as good as the person using it really.  I am reminded of an individual I know who got his computer trashed and when asked WHY he disabled his virus software, said, it kept going off when I went to my favorite site and wouldn't let me in, so I turned it off.        Here's your sign bud.

You can have a 20 thousand dollar security system on your house but if you don't turn the thing on, it won't help you.     With computers, if you don't update your security when new ways to get in are found, then it won't help you.

Nothing is 100 percent safe but a little prudence from the user goes a LONG way.

Aaron

I like Windows, and i believe its security is just as good as linux(windows 7 and up), but I would never have a wallet with a lot of coins on a windows machine.

Its not that Linux is more secure (imho) but that exploitpacks for Windows is easier to acquire and exploits for browser and other clientside bugs exploited through the browser are released weekly.
Sure many of these bugs exists on both platforms (java, flash, firefox bugs etc) but most ready-to-use exploits are written for windows.

Real hackers can just write exploits for these bugs for Linux, but those guys are not interested in stealing your bitcoins. The "hackers" interested in stealing bitcoins probably has less skills (or no skills) in writing exploits, so they use already released -1 day exploits bundled with some malware they havent written.

I use Windows, so does Bill Gates, satoshi, and many other geniuses

It is actually very easy to secure if you care to read up on basic security practices.

Really, it seems more and more ignorant users just go to MacOS or Linux these days,
without any knowledge of how to secure a computer (no, Linux is not "automagically" secure).

i have windows

I believe windows is made with the intention to make a pc accessible for everybody so, yeah, its made for dummies.

From the viewpoint of a hacker windows users are 90% dump so they're the main target.

To understand how to protect yourself get to know how hackers infect computers. Mostly they fool people to click some file, sometimes they use "exploit kits", in most of all cases of infection the user interaction is required. 'The most popular way to spread a virus is through downloads, for example somebody downloading the latest game on a torrent site is heavily at risk.

If you really want to use windows i suggest to get familiar with virtualbox or vmware, this way you can access any content without infecting the main machine. You could also setup a linux machine and have windows running inside a virtualbox for example.

If you have a fair amount of coins in the wallet its not a bad idea to have a machine solely for the wallet, this can be a virtualbox or a stand alone pc.

The guys who are really a target are the pool/exchange owners, for a hacker its like breaking a bank.

To steal the wallet a hacker needs to have the password, i think this is the only reason there are not more wallet stealers arround. Protect your password, don't safe it in a obviously place like "my documents".

If by compromised you mean stolen then no it wont do you any good from what i understand

Microsoft makes most of their money from corporate clients, and these clients do care for security.

I think Windows is broken entirely because Microsoft's customers (the average person) doesn't know or care about security.  So Microsoft has no incentive to expend its 1000x resources on security.

The Linux user is more discerning, and so Linux has to do better.

I should add hope i didnt offned windows users..
But I do see there is desperate need for a new o/s for the world free from corporate controll which is why i normally use Linux and is what brought me here.

Does backing up your wallet.dat onto a USB key do anything if the original wallet.dat on your desktop is compromised?

Thanks I think that helped..I am struggling to find the time and peace to research and get my head round things..
I am definitly going to try getting some bitcoin to try out..Thing is in ireland there are very few people selling them.