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| Microsoft could make Windows secure with UNIX and Virtual PC - Aug 19, 2003 2:59pm - opinion |  |
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This isn't strictly Mac-related, but all Mac users have to deal with PCs in some form or another, so I am posting this on MacMilitia to get these ideas out to the world. We all know Windows is the most insecure 'modern' operating system out there. And although Microsoft releases many security updates, the sheer fact that there are so many of them leads a lot of users to turn off the automatic update feature of Windows. Part of the problem lies in the fact that Windows is the most widely-used operating system. Since the vast majority of personal computers run Windows, the vast majority of malicious hackers will write their viruses to attack Windows computers. Although many viruses require the active (yet innocent) participation of the user (such as opening an email attachment), Linux and Mac users are much less likely to be infected by that sort of virus because they are much less likely to be sent a compatible virus in the first place. However, another reason Windows is hit by so many viruses is that Windows has had many security holes that can be exploited without any knowledge by the user. Windows is so archaic and complex that Microsoft will never be able to patch all the holes in their code - it is a nightmare. So why doesn't Microsoft go the way Apple went? Start with a modern UNIX base, and create a modern GUI for the front. They could call the OS "Windows Xtreme", because they are so wonderfully innovative. Now that Microsoft owns Virtual PC - the #1 PC emulation software - they could modify it for use on their own Windows Xtreme, allowing users to run their "Vintage™" applications much like Mac users run Classic applications. Would Microsoft be able to pull it off? It'd take awhile, and might not be perfect, but Microsoft would definitely be able to make it work technologically. Whether or not they'd be able to make it truly secure is debateable. By having a brand-new code base, layers upon layers of complexity would be removed, making it easier for Microsoft to catch their mistakes. If the programmers didn't write sloppy code, and severely limited the amount of spaghetti-style interfacing common to built-in Windows software, then they really could make a secure operating system. Because Windows XP and all of its predecessors is a joke when it comes to security, anything important running on Windows needs a full-time IT staff to make sure that it won't get killed by the latest bug. Obviously if Windows was perfect a lot of those IT guys would need to find new jobs, but then they would be able to do productive things - move technology to a higher level. How long will it take for the world to wake up to the fact that sloppy security will do irreparable damage? |
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