Knowledge challenge

thank you for the detailed response Mrk.

best way? possibly. practical? not rele

 

Hello,

First, the posts I make are the reflection of my own thoughts, so when I say "best", what I mean is "most convenient for me".

That said, what's impractical about Linux?
Install, let's say, Ubuntu and dual-boot alongisde Windows.
Then, you can have all of the software mentioned for 0 money, save your Windows. Here comes a slight challenge - money wise - but if you know a Microsoft worker, you can have the XP for US$ 25 - or any of their products, for that matter. Then, taking into account that people often change their computers and buy extra systems, it's likely you'll have an extra Windows in your store. Maybe a no-longer used W2K.

BTW, anything starting with Linux is definitely good.

Mrk

 

linux isnt impractical, but installing it just to test files seems superfluous to me.

if u already dual-boot, then its no problem.

 

Blue, I think your answer while correct might not actually be answering the specific question . I believe WSFuser question like most questions posed here are more personal and relates not to some general mystical user who doesn't come here but to himself.

I would translate his question to this

Would a newbie who initially knew little about computers, but spent the last 2-3 years reading on this forum diligently resulting security solutions for home use, learning about the range of security products available for home user, and in the course of evaluating them,picking up bits and pieces about security threats (and computers in general) on how they spread, how they work (on a high level none-technical way) be knowledgeable enough to do without an AV (or all this heavy protection)?

Even if the about description does not fit Wsfuser , I believe given that Wilders has being in existence for over 4 years, it has resulted in training and educating quite a large pool of members who fit the above description.

People who can't claim to be experts, but are vastly more aware of security threats than the average person and are at the point where they can't improve significantly without going really hardcore, serious studying.

I think it's a more interesting and relevant question than considering the case of a user outside of forums like this who doesn't give a damn, because the answer would be obvious.

PS The funny thing is the average Wilder's members is far more aware of the range and capabilities of security products (particularly HIPS for home use) than most people who can legitimately claim to be security experts (outside of the guys who sell this stuff of course).

PSS I wonder if the time learning how to configure all your HIPS play with each other nicely, learning the meaning of various technical tests, to be able to discuss the merits of various AV tests and functions of HIPS is a easier or harder than learning to use linux.

 

Fair enough, but I do tend to focus on that mythical user since they drive the main market.

There's always an opportunity to establish niche market options, however in the security arena I would say that the niche market is beyond saturated. I cannot see it sustaining all the offerings out there. To me it looks very similar to the compiler market around the time and a few years after Borland launched Turbo Pascal. At that time there were literally hundreds of options, many of them involving niche languages that many users here have never even heard of, which have be supplanted by a few predominate generalized solutions over time.

I see the same evolution for the security market.

Blue