This has nothing to do with genealogy but does affect most computer owners (except for those who use Macintosh systems).
I have written several times about Linux - how much more secure it is than Windows, as well as being much cheaper. Now system administrator Chris Spencer has written An Open Letter to a Digital World about his experiences.
Chris's wife recently discovered that her Windows PC was loaded with spyware, trojans, viruses, and spam, despite the fact that she uses a firewall, the latest anti-virus program with all current updates, and the latest Windows updates from Microsoft. She never opens attachments and avoids any type of seedy activities online. She thought she was fully protected, and yet her computer had numerous unwanted electronic parasites installed.
Chris Spencer has been a system administrator for 10 years and has a degree in computer science. Even with those qualifications, he needed 5 hours to clear up all the problems in his wife's PC. In his Open Letter to a Digital World, Chris describes the problems and gives his suggestions for safer computing. (He is heavily biased towards Linux.)
If you have an interest in this subject, take a look at http://www.linuxworld.com/story/47536.htm.
