Es cierto. La pregunta revolotea en las mentes de los felices usuarios de Windows XP o Windows 7 (¡Dudo que los usuarios de Vista sean tan felices!)
Si los productos de Microsoft son tan buenos, ¿por qué hay gente que se decide por MAC/OS y por qué hay otros que se deciden por Linux?
En mi caso, una de las razones por las cuales migré a Linux es tal vez la más simple. La voy a explicar con una anécdota...
Hoy, este blog nació durante un taller de blogs. Nació rápido y sin contratiempos desde un frío laboratorio de cómputo que funcionó cual modesta sala de partos. Junto a "La Esquina de un Migrante a Linux", nacieron otros 17 blogs; todos tan distintos como sus creadores. Debería más bien decir "creadoras", pues solamente había allí dos asistentes varones: Mechatotoro y yo.
Con el fin de grabar información, introduje mi unidad de memoria USB en la computadora. Dos segundos después, cual espectro maligno atraído por jóvenes inexpertos durante una improvisada sesión espiritista, apareció una pantalla roja frente a mí: el antivirus se había activado y me advertía que había detectado un virus en el archivo "autorun.inf" de mi memoria USB.
Dicho anuncio me hizo sonreír. Mi memoria USB no tenía ningún archivo "autorun.inf" porque yo lo había borrado con Mepis Linux mucho tiempo atrás. ¿De dónde provenía esta alerta, entonces? Simple: la computadora, cuyo sistema operativo es Windows XP, estaba infectada y por supuesto, infectó mi memoria USB también. Por fortuna, el antivirus estaba actualizado y se encargó rápidamente de limpiar el virus...
Al menos eso fue lo que me dijo.
De regreso en mi casa, encendí mi computadora, la cual funciona con SimplyMEPIS Linux. Inserté mi memoria USB y...¡Sorpresa! ¡Allí estaba! Aferrada como una garrapata a la piel de un animal de granja, se encontraba entre mis directorios una carpeta invisible con el nombre "trash". Dentro de la misma, protegida tanto por la invisibilidad (en windows, porque linux no cede ante tal artimaña) y por ausencia de permisos que impedían modificar o borrar su contenido, se hallaba el virus en un pequeño archivo ejecutable. A su lado, pude ver el archivo "autorun.inf", enhiesto cual gallardo guardaespaldas.
¿Qué hubiera necesitado en Windows para deshacerme de esa carpeta de Pandora?
1. Suerte para poder visualizar la carpeta invisible
2. Un antivirus más potente que el del laboratorio de cómputo
3. Actualizaciones para el antivirus
4. Mucho tiempo para correr el antivirus tanto en la memoria USB como en la computadora para asegurarme que no haya infecciones.
¿Qué necesité en Linux para deshacerme de la carpeta maligna?
1. Saber que yo no la había creado
2. Modificar los permisos de la carpeta y los archivos
3. Seleccionar la carpeta y oprimir las teclas Mayúsculas+Suprimir
4. Un par de segundos para ver la carpeta desaparecer en el olvido.
Todo el proceso no me tomó más de un minuto.
Esa es una de las razones más simples, pero más grandes, por las cuales migré a Linux: me brinda la libertad de trabajar donde sea sin temor a los virus demoniacos que se posesionan de las computadoras...aun cuando éstas están "bien protegidas" por sus antivirus. Linux me permite exorcisar los demonios de mi memoria USB sin necesidad de crucifijos labrados en oro o balas de plata que se desgastan con cada puesta de sol y al día siguiente son inútiles.
No estoy exagerando: ¡un día exorcisé 14 virus diferentes de la memoria USB de una joven!
La historia es tna pavorosa como cierta. Yo también pude contemplar las caras de incredulidad de mis estudiantes cuando encontraba los virus en las memorias flash "limpias". Y más después de que me preguntaran "¿Cuál antivirus usa usted?" y yo les contestara "En realidad, no tengo NINGUNO".
ResponderEliminarMepis ayuda donde ni mi querida distro Mandriva puede llegar.
No obstante, recuerde la lección de humildad de Yoda: "Mejor que una flamante cuenta root una modesta bien usada konsola es...Usa rm -f, Luke SkyMepis!"
Cierto. No olvidaré ese conocimiento. De todos modos, ya ni cuenta Root tengo. :P
ResponderEliminarEstrada, K
ResponderEliminarI agree that this event in particular would provoke many computer users decide to use Linux instead of Windows. Many of us cannot be in peace when we introduce our USB drive into any computer. I’m the best example; my brand new USB drive got also infected thanks to a computer from my faculty’s computer laboratory. The computer, so infamously, said that MY USB drive was infected; how come was that possible if it was new? My boyfriend, a computer science student, told me that actually the computer was the one that infected my new beloved USB drive. Through Linux, it is in our hands to remove those viruses without complicating our lives, but many of us do not realize it because we do not get informed about these kinds of topics or simply because we do not care. Therefore, it is our fault, too, to care viruse in our computers and USB flash drives. I include myself in this group; just after reading this entry, I realized that my boyfriend had used Linux in order to remove that virus from my flash; that means that I didn’t even bother to ask him anything about how or what did he do to get rid of it.
You are right, Estrada K. Most users simply take viruses for granted as "part of the system." However, they stop taking infections so lightly when their important files are deleted, their new computers crash or, even worse, when their bank accounts are emptied or their credit card numbers are used for mysterious transactions. That leaving aside the issue of private e-mails read or distributed.
ResponderEliminarQuirós, D
ResponderEliminarMany of us who have used windows have had headaches with viruses, Trojan horses, worms, but as you mentioned Linux is here to help us find and kill all those viruses that threaten our computers.When I used windows, my USB drive were constantly infected with virus. Once, I had to print some documents, so I took my USB drive to the photocopier. I gave the USB drive to the man in photocopier, and he introduced it in the computer. Surprise!!! My USB was infected, and the computer had to be restarted to kill the viruses. When this man opened the folder where I had the documents, the documents had disappeared: the anti-virus had eliminated the document together with the viruses. I was extremely upset, so I promised to myself that I was going to migrate to Linux where I can see what is going on in my computer. Today, I am a Linux user, and since I use Linux my computer has not had problems with viruses. However, being a Linux user does not mean that your computer is not going to be infected, but the probabilities are low. Long live Linux!!!
Right, Linux systems can be infected, too. The chances are much lower, but users still have to keep an eye on their computers.
ResponderEliminarQuirós, D,
ResponderEliminarThe worst part of your story is that your document was probably still there inside your USB, but in "invisible mode" thanks to the action of the antivirus...and that most likely, it was the computer that was infected, not your USB drive. Congratulations on your migration!
Calderon, T
ResponderEliminarI am always worried about using my USB memory in my computer after having used the university laboratories. It is not paranoia, but experience. After owning my computer for less than a week, it collapsed because virus infected it. I was infuriated because I did not know anybody who could help me and I could not change the antivirus because I would lose the computer’s warranty. I could not believe that Microsoft did not take care of its costumers in a proper way. I believed I had acquired a quality product since I paid a lot of money for it! That situation was like an omen of what I could expect. Ever since, I am extra careful when I insert something in my computer or open a web site; however, this makes me feel chased and it seems to me that I cannot use my computer freely. Nevertheless, not until now, after I have learned about the benefits of other OS, had I considered to change my OS for an alternative one.
Calderon T,
ResponderEliminarSome Linux hardcore fans will dismember me for saying this, but before venturing into a full migration, remember that Linux does not cheat: you can try it from a Live CD, for as long as you want, without having to install anything on your hard drive. Then, if you decide you like it, you can do a dual boot with Linux and Windows. Most users who do this gradual migration find it less "traumatizing." At the end, people end up choosing the penguin.
Ramìrez, B.
ResponderEliminarI also have some terrible stories regarding my USB driver and viruses. Usually, my files are in invisible mode due to undesirable viruses. Once, I used my flash driver in the Letras’ laboratory. When I arrived home, I introduced my USB memory in my computer, and it was completely empty! Well, it looked empty. I almost died. However, my boyfriend who likes computers removed those viruses for me, and now, his job is to take care of my USB. He says that Windows is a nest of viruses, but he uses it just because some programs only can run on it. My boyfriend`s computer has Ubuntu and Windows XP. It is just a matter of time for people to be completely aware of Linux advantages over Windows OS. I already realized it!!!
True, Blanca. Viruses trick users like that. The worst case I've seen so far was one that literally destroyed all the files and blocked the USB key. Windows refused to do anything with it, but I brought it back to life just by deleting the autorun.inf file using Mepis. However, the files were beyond recovery.
ResponderEliminar