Summary: Additional new signs and observations regarding security of the next operating system from Microsoft

WE wrote a lot about this subject in the past. Vista 7's illusion of security is listed by SJVN as reason #1 to avoid Vista 7.

1) Windows 7 still has all the security of a drunken teenager in a sports car. From Windows for Workgroups and NT 3 until today, Windows is a security joke. It used to be that running Windows just put your head into the noose. Now, millions of lazy Windows users are the reason why the Internet is a mess. If you already do all the right things to keep XP running safely, you're not going to get any safer by buying Windows 7.

That's just Windows alone, before any malicious software is even installed on it. Here is the latest relevant example:

Digsby takes bundled crapware to a whole different level, however. During the install you are prompted for not one, not two, but six different pieces of junk software, and then for good measure they offer to replace your home page with something terrible and take your search engine down a notch.

Slashdot summarises it as follows:

The money-making distributed computing software is in addition to six "crapware" apps that users must refuse during installation. The terms of service that no one ever reads does describe the CPU- and bandwidth-robbing moneymaker, and its off switch is located behind the "Support Digsby" menu item.

It is junk software like the above which sometimes lowers the apparent cost of preinstalled Windows. But the real cost is sometimes a long-term equation, which makes GNU/Linux a much smarter investment. ⬆