I feel like crap!

[GreyGeek]

...

One good thing, you're unlikely to get it again.

At least that particular strain.
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/viruses...bile=nocontent

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/index.htm?mobile=nocontent

[DoYouKubuntu]

Welcome back! (and consider getting that pneumonia vaccine, just for the heck of it!)

Thanks, Qq. I will. As soon as I'm fully back on my feet.

Yesterday I started up my car--so I won't have to hook up the battery tender I have [because I'm really bad about letting the battery die [from non-use]]--and stayed outside for 30 minutes or so, sitting down for the most part, but still. Got some watering done, and fed the peacocks. They'd missed their steady supply of sunflowers seeds and peanuts! (Oops. I did NOT say that. You did NOT read that. (We're not supposed to feed the peafowl--signs all over the city say that! (But the law is "on public property"--and my backyard is not public property! ))) Admired my beautiful flowers, including a ton of gladiolus that started blooming while I was out like a light. Today I'm hoping to take some pictures of them; there are some really unusually colored blooms, plus a lot of 'regular' ones. I'm kind of surprised by the unusual ones, because these bulbs were cheap and small, and I really wasn't expecting much, so they've turned out to be quite the pleasant surprise.

[MoonRise]

Glad you're better!

[DoYouKubuntu]

Imagine being a Windows user, they have to deal with viruses all the time

I know! And, really, I can't imagine...

I'm a Windows user and I've never had a virus.

Really?! Wow.

Glad you're better!

Me too. It sucked! And I feel a billion times better today.

[Feathers McGraw]

Imagine being a Windows user, they have to deal with viruses all the time

I'm a Windows user and I've never had a virus.

Really?! Wow.

To be fair, that was a cheap shot. I don't think I ever had any malware when I was a Windows user (apart from toolbars, which are just user error). Maybe just the one time when I was very young on Win2000 (so I would have been ~10 or something) when I clicked on one of those "free cursor" things and my Dad had to clean the PC. Now I'm his tech support... lol.

Thing is, your average Linux user on Windows probably wouldn't get a virus (because to install Linux and use it means you're actually paying attention to the computer, thinking about it etc), but put an average Windows user on Linux and you take them out of the target bracket for the crappy drive-by malware "most people" seem to get.

On the flipside, those people probably don't have a clue how to maintain their new Linux system... but they didn't know how to maintain Windows anyway, so what's the difference? The choice for people who don't care about computers is really "security" (by obscurity) or availability of commercial apps.

[xennex81]

Security for them really only revolves not getting crapware and most importantly perhaps falling for fishing schemes. The ones that arrive by email and target bank customers. Perhaps there's something to do with keyloggers. That's about it? The kind of malware that steals passwords.

In my Windows career there were only three things to keep me safe.

1. Don't use mainstream software.
2. Don't click on obvious scams.
3. Rinse and repeat.

Part of that security is for example "show file extensions for known file types" which is disabled by default and which Microsoft doesn't think of in terms of security.

[xennex81]

The difference, by the way, is that Windows doesn't need maintenance. If you're behind a NAT firewall and you play by the rules you don't need to update Windows EVER. There is no regular maintenance to perform. There are no components to install (save for some .NET or VC++ library). You don't have to do anything in Windows. It's peace all the way. The only annoyance is when Microsoft bugs you about not being "protected" (or activated, lol). Windows is as safe as can be. No one runs any services, there are no open ports (and you're behind a NAT), your only threat is malware (which is not a threat) and the only thing that bugs you is family members who are not as smart.

[Feathers McGraw]

Part of that security is for example "show file extensions for known file types" which is disabled by default

This is a constant annoyance at work, renaming an emailed script foobar.vbs.txt to foobar.vbs so you can actually use it is very difficult without changing that setting. That means if you are explaining to someone how to run a script you also have to explain how to dig through the menus for that setting and change it first!

[xennex81]

It's the first thing I enable in Windows. I'm notoriously bad with icons so the alternative doesn't appeal to me at all. I don't see why I should depend on an icon to discern what filetype I have. A gripe I have with Linux is that extensions are uncommon or not applied by default (when saving things) which makes it difficult to keep your files organized.

[GreyGeek]

It's the first thing I enable in Windows. I'm notoriously bad with icons so the alternative doesn't appeal to me at all. I don't see why I should depend on an icon to discern what filetype I have. A gripe I have with Linux is that extensions are uncommon or not applied by default (when saving things) which makes it difficult to keep your files organized.

You are aware of the "file" command? See "man file".

[DoYouKubuntu]

This has been the strangest thing...I felt SO MUCH BETTER for a couple of days, and then, NOT! The last two days I felt like total crap again, and could do nothing but sleep. Today--and, believe me, I'm knocking on wood even as I type this [which is no small feat, with only two hands!]--I feel dramatically better again. I hope this time it's for good. I'm extremely sick of being sick with this stupid bug. Ugh.