Page 1 of Bit of Mandriva/Linux help please.

Hi there. This is my first thread in Linux. How cool is that?

I`m a bit stuck at the mo. A good friend of mine recommended Mandriva 2007, which I now have and am using on my PC as part of a dual boot setup (also recommended by my mate). But the whole internet security thing is leaving me a bit dumbfounded. I think this system uses something called Shorewall, which is a firewall, or so I`m led to believe, but many users claim you just don`t need such a thing in Linux. Is this really true? Is this because Linux isn`t quite as extensively used as Windows at the moment, or is it as my friend says, that it`s just that Linux doesn`t feature the same faults as Windows.

Also, I downloaded from Avast`s site the RPM version (again as recommended) of their excellent Anti-Virus, but for some reason I cannot find it anywhere on my system. Where has it gone, and what do I do to set it up? The installer said it was installed successfully, but as I say I can`t find the program to configure it. Plus, again, is an AV program really needed in Linux?

Sorry for the long post. Your help is appreciated.

Hi Mark, I think your best bet is to join a Mandriva/Linux forum. I used to run the OS on one of my PC but then could not be bothered with the learning curve. But I know there were a couple of forum where the people were really helpful.
JC

Some ppl might say you should always have anti-virus and ffirewall installed on any system, I think I would, better safe than sorry.

For the time being Linux is safer, as more ppl write viruses etc for Windows as it`s easier, and there`s more ppl using it, so you may get your 15mins of fame by writing the next big virus.

But saying that, the 1st few ppl to write big Linux, or Mac viruses will get fame ;)

so it doesn`t feature the same, as well known faults, and the open source community quickly finds them and offers fixes for them. That`s kind of how MS now operates though. They find another flaw, and offer the fix. Unfortnauely sometimes no-one has yet exploitet the fault they`ve found, they release a patch, which alerts hackers of a new vulnerability they try to exploit on machines not yet updated!

Also, anti-virus is useful in case while using Linux, you download an app, ready to use on Windows, so you can scan it and be confidenr it`s OK. Actually it`s a really good idea, because if your Linux can see all your windows directories, it will scan all them. theoretically your windows antivirus could be compromised so you think it`s working, but it`s not, and then your Linux one could see that!

Sorry i can`t answer your technical questions, just your theory ones :)

Al

Thanks for your replies guys. This is part of the reason I decided to dual boot. I really want rid of Windows in the long run, but didn`t want to go cold turkey. Though having said that, I`ve been very surprised so far with how easy it is to get stuff going. Not only that, but Mandriva 2007 seems to come with far more stuff out of the box than Windows does. I just can`t find that AV program!

Quote:
That`s kind of how MS now operates though. They find another flaw, and offer the fix.

Yeah, but it comes at too great a price for me. They insist you have the WGA thing before you even look at their critical updates etc, which unfortunately says we don`t have a proper Windows XP, even though it was bought legitimately. Again unfortunately, the shop we got the PC from has now gone, and I no longer have the receipt, and with no disc either, I don`t even see the point trying to get MS to understand.

Anyway, besides all of that, I don`t think it`s conducive to a free market that MS has such a monopoly. It means PC`s generally cost more than they need to, imho. I mean £100 for a OS is well steep for me, and though I`m currently using free Mandriva, I`ll certainly buy a boxed version for my next PC....which may not be too far away judging by the funny noises this one makes!

Sorry, though. Certainly don`t mean to turn this thread into MS vs Linux. I`m still learning about both!

I remember the 1st time I tired to give Linux a go was when i was at uni, must have been 5 or 6 years ago. i couldn`t be bothered, as there were no sound drivers for my sound card, dvd playback wouldn`t work, or cd burning.

But recently I`ve played with Knoppix and Ubuntu boot off CD/DVD versions, they`ve detected everything, including wirless network cards flawlessly, and the only real reason for the average person to stick with MS Windows really seems for playing games.

I was offered MS Office, but I turned it down as I use Openoffice, and that does everything I want it to do. I use Thunderbird, and Firefox, so if it wasn`t for Sims 2 for the gf the I would probably be more tempted to switch.

Then i guess that`s laziness, no reason I couldn`t dual boot, and keep XP purely for games, would be quite safe I could disconnect the network card in Windows etc, hmmn, not a bad idea!

Actually this is interesting at Eurogamer. he`s just written a feature about running Linux on PS3, using OpenOffice installed on his PS3 :)


Al

This item was edited on Sunday, 3rd December 2006, 18:25

Apparently it`s way easier to play games on Linux, but it`s not something I do on my PC, so I couldn`t advise you on it. There`s something my mate goes on about called Cedega, but like Manuel - "I know nothing"!

I can`t lie to you, there`s still a bit of learning involved with it. But it`s certainly relatively clear to use - I`m a complete PC novice, and I`ve not come up against anything too terrifying yet. A couple of silly glitches, but nothing my mate can`t inform me about!

I say give it a go, but I say that knowing full well it`s going to be a long, long while before I`ll understand it - that`s if I ever do.