[sf-lug] update from computer newbie

[Asheesh Laroia]

On Fri, 7 Jul 2006, Rick Moen wrote:

> Anyhow, the general advice I would give is:  Simply _don't run_ network 
> services (daemons) on your machine unless and until you actually have a 
> need and wish to do so.  You don't need to firewall off from the bad 
> guys a service that isn't running in the first place.  Don't introduce 
> system complications that you don't understand just because someone told 
> you it's "more secure".  That's ultimately about as effective as waving 
> a dead chicken at the problem.

I second this advice.  The "Firewall!!!" advice usually comes from (former 
and current) Windows users who have no idea what is running on their 
systems, so it's the best advice they can give.

I also don't know much about Mandrake anymore, having tried it last in 
2001, but I will recommend Ubuntu to you as I did to someone else who came 
by lately with Debian troubles.  Canonical has gone to great lengths to 
build a comprehensible, usable, Debian-based distribution that inherits a 
lot of Debian's strengths.  This isn't an exclusive recommendation; most 
important is having someone to ask for help if you need it.  I can be that 
for Ubuntu; if you have someone else to talk to about PCLinuxOS, then by 
all means go that route.  The Ubuntu user base is huge and growing, which 
also makes finding help easier.

-- Asheesh.

-- 
A gambler's biggest thrill is winning a bet.
His next biggest thrill is losing a bet.