High maintenance

[Eldmannen]

I've noticed that often people on this forum tend to use an ridiculous amount of software for security and maintenance.

Its not uncommon to find people here with a dozen system cleaners, registry cleaners, malware scanners, antivirus software, etc.

A strange thing I find is that, one could hint that a person with lots of security software might be a security-aware person. But I found that the people who really need security software are noobs that don't care about security and often don't have any security software, while the people who really are security-aware are the type of people less likely to have to rely on security software.

My opinion is that Windows systems are high maintenance, especially when it comes to the computers of family members.

Some years ago, my brothers computers were infected with some kind of malware (a worm I think) that spread to other computers. As a result our internet service provider shut us down.

I didn't even knew ISPs did that, and it was a huge embarrassment because I would think maybe it would happen to others, but I never thought it would happen to us, a computer in my house.

Called our ISP and they said they can unblock us, if we call back after we fix the computer. I was pretty upset at my brother for this, it was no fun without internet, and he has been very irresponsible. Everyone should be responsible for their own computer, and not allow their computer be infected and spread that to others computers.

Since then, I've often told family members several times to routinely update the antivirus software, run Windows update, use Firefox instead of IE, do system scans, run cleaners, etc.

They seem to be reluctant to do so, postpone it and never do it. So I would have to routinely go check on their computers, and this take very much of my time. Their computers are very slow, it is a pain to work, and doing system maintenance is very tedious, time consuming and boring. Windows is very high maintenance.

And you often find lots of stupid software installed. A sister of mine installed BonziBuddy, because "the monkey was cute". I've also came across CometCursor, etc. My brother installed some stripper girl who walks around on the desktop.

Sometimes antivirus software with a license has been used, and sometimes antivirus with a limited free 1-year license has been used. I've noticed that time goes fast, and soon you'll find yourself with an antivirus software and an expired license. I've experienced that people often still continue as usual and ignore the expired license (even if it nags all the time), without doing anything about it. Running with an old oudated useless antivirus software and having vulnerable systems. So I am not much for these antivirus software with time-restricted subscriptions, because they tend to just postpone the problem, and then be ignored.

[Ultimate Predator]

I agree.

[Tarun]

Considering you're a Linux advocate, it's rather amusing to see you say Windows is high maintenance when virtually every task can easily be automated. Misinformation is frowned upon.

[Tarq57]

Best procedure I've read regarding keeping the home computers clean was regarding a man who had 2 teenagers, each with their own computer. Periodically they'd come to him for help because "something got in". The first two or three times it happened he could spend sevaral hours cleaning them, re-setting the connections etc, and then telling the kids how to update software, what not to click on, why etc etc.

Came the point it happened again, 'twas obvious the advice had gone in one ear and out the other. Sick of spending the hours, he simply re-formatted and reinstalled. Handed them back, good as new. All files, pics, favourites gone forever.

The kids learned to take responsibility for their software pretty fast after that.

[Eldmannen]

Considering you're a Linux advocate, it's rather amusing to see you say Windows is high maintenance when virtually every task can easily be automated. Misinformation is frowned upon.

Yeah, many tasks can be automated. Such as Windows Update, and antivirus definitions.

I am unsure whether they update while logged into an account without administrator privileges though.

Either way, I do find it high maintenance.

Ubuntu I have found to be much more fire-and-forget. No need to for cleaners or security software, no need to update definitions or stuff, no worries about malware, system keeps system and all the applications up-to-date, etc.

Best procedure I've read regarding keeping the home computers clean was regarding a man who had 2 teenagers, each with their own computer. Periodically they'd come to him for help because "something got in". The first two or three times it happened he could spend sevaral hours cleaning them, re-setting the connections etc, and then telling the kids how to update software, what not to click on, why etc etc.

Came the point it happened again, 'twas obvious the advice had gone in one ear and out the other. Sick of spending the hours, he simply re-formatted and reinstalled. Handed them back, good as new. All files, pics, favourites gone forever.

The kids learned to take responsibility for their software pretty fast after that.

Yeah, probably effective. Harsh though.

Though, I understand him. Spending several hours fixing computers is boring and tedious, not to mention rarely appreciated.

Nowadays, teenagers often store data remotely online on web mail, and social network sites, etc.

Last time my sis computer messed up, I installed Windows and Ubuntu, with Ubuntu as default choice. She and mom was okay with that, and that worked mostly nice (exception was Hotmail, on which Microsoft blocked Linux users).

But then my brother came home (he had been away for some months), and used Windows to play games and stuff, and they're too lazy to reboot, so now they're back with that.