Now that a portion of the source code for the Windows NT platform has managed to escape the tighly clenched fingers of Microsoft - I suspect that it won't be too long before yet a new and exciting flurry of really nasty viruses begin to invade the sanctity of our PCs.

Have you ever wondered why there just doesn't seem to be the quantity of security issues with other operating sysems... I have.

You hardly ever hear about security leaks in OSX, or Linux. I always though that this is bacause Microsoft Windows is so prevelant... it's such a big, tempting target... but I could be wrong here.

Hundreds of millions of computers use Windows worldwide - so by hacking Windows - you can do the most damage to the most computers, with the least amount of effort ...More "bang for the buck", so to speak. Besides, people love to hate Bill Gates, Mr. Microsoft. He's soooo rich, so the pirate spirit in hackers want a piece of that booty. Now that Mr. Gates has done-pulled a Janet Jackson, hackers have a real opporuniy to beat-up the big guy.

I had an interesting conversation with a new friend the other day, and he had a really different, and I feel, really interesting take on the "Kill-Bill" attitude towards Windows, with all it's security holes in particular - it really makes a lot of sense.

He's a real fan of open-source programs - his theory is, you'll never see security issues with an open-source operating sysem, like Linux, because people (would-be hackers?) actually have a stake in the program, and everybody is watching everybody else anyways, so there's more opportuniy to make a "bullet-proof" operating system, with all those eyes looking... The open source community probably wouldn't accept something as flimsy, and that needs the quantity of patches as Windows needs.

There's a whole lot of really great open source apps out here, also - OpenOffice is a very nice office suite (people complain about the database - but to be honest, I rarely use Access anyways, so the suite is just perfect for me!) You'll probably be able to find an open source application for pretty much anything you'd ever need.

It's too bad that Bill has so many enemys - the leak could have acually helped improve Windows, had he been better-liked - I have a feeling that the only thing the leak will do is make it a bigger target for hackers... Who knows, maybe the giant can be slain after all.