hi guys,

I am new to linux. I want to install it on my home computer. I have a few questions.

1) if an exploit is found on linux, how long is it before it gets patched up? My worry is that because there are not many linux users, if a big is found, then it will be a long time before others become aware, leaving my machine vulnerable for a long time

2) what is the recommended free linux for a newbie

3) windows automatically recognises all my hardware. Will linux recognise it too? How about my printer - the CD is for Mac and Windows, what would I do for linux?

thanks

Let's see if I can answer some of your questions:

1. Depends. Since Linux isn't made by a company, but a whole load of volunteers, there isn't a fixed response time. Generally, you'll have to differ between project/upstream response time (those who write/wrote the software where a bug is found) and distribution response time (time between a fix and it's availability in the repository).
   
   So far, the most horror stories about break-ins on Linux systems wasn't because there was no fix available, but because the administrator forgot to apply the fix. Notable exception: the Debian OpenSSL/OpenSSH bug, which went unnoticed for quite some time.
2. For someone used to MS desktops: probably Mint, maybe Kubuntu or Fedora.
   If you aren't afraid of the command line, Ubuntu and a gradual switch to Debian.
   If you want to delve right in, Gentoo, Slackware, or LFS.
   
   Others might have different suggestions, as it's pretty subjective.
3. Again, depends. Most hardware should work fine, others might not. You might find "exotic" hardware working out-of-the-box, while "regular" won't. Example: a friend of mine tried to install Ubuntu on an Eeee PC. Wireless didn't work because the Windows driver screwed around with the firmware. Only remedy was to remove the battery, let it sit for a few minutes, re-insert the battery, which reset the wireless controller. After that it worked like a charm.
   
   The best way to check this is, if available, to download a live-CD of your distribution of choice and start that. If you notice some hardware missing a bit of tweaking might be needed. If it's only your printer you're worried about: any modern Linux spooler (mostly CUPS these days) should have no problems with any printer. If it does, there's always OpenPrinting for drivers.

many thanks for your detailed reply - it is most helpful.

i do have one more quick question - my printer comes with its own software, which lets you do fancy stuff. If I was to use linux, I will not be able to use this software. The same is true of my digital camera. I am just curious, are companies going to start writing software that will be able to run on all the different flavours of linux?

thanks

Probably not. Some of your software may work in WINE, which is "not an emulator" but can run some native windows software in Linux, with some success.
Companies, right now, do not often have the resources or inclination to hit the single % market that desktop Linux users have.

The one thing to consider is the mindset of "Windows, but free" Which linux is not.

There are plenty of programs to do the things that you can do with the software that came with your printer and digital cameras. However, they may not be the exact same thing you are familiar with.


Also, there are really no "viruses" for Linux. Linux CAN get a virus from a wine install, but it will only screw up the wine install and applications inside that. The designs of a secure system prevent a properly managed one from being compromised. It would be best to not run scripts you are not familiar with and not run as the root administrative user unless absolutely necessary and if you are familiar with how to do so.

I would suggest you try OpenSUSE. It is relatively easy, and has enough familiarity with a good community as well. You can, if you like, use a virtual machine (creates a virtual computer that is really a program on your current computer) to try it out if you choose.

By and large, competently managing your system is far more important than getting the latest greatest updates for everything every five minutes or-else-you'll-die. Security is not first-one-through-the-door wins, Linux has layers of it, many of them.

It's not often I have cause to quote bash.org on this forum. Thanks for the opportunity.
I have been hacked precisely once, and that only because I was idiotic enough to have a user "testuser" with the password "testuser". The testuser account didn't have su or sudo access, meaning they couldn't get out of the highly limited testuser account, so the damage was almost nonexistent, and all fixed within three commands:

killall -9 --user testuser
find / -user testuser -exec rm '{}' ';'
userdel testuser

2) what is the recommended free linux for a newbie 3) windows automatically recognises all my hardware. Will linux recognise it too?

How about my printer - the CD is for Mac and Windows, what would I do for linux?

The one thing to consider is the mindset of "Windows, but free" Which linux is not.