Do you run a virus scanner in linux?

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Hm. Having to go through such hassle to protect your computer from malicious software... Windows users must really have it rough.

Seriously, why is it less of a hassle to run Linux than it is to run Windows?

People buy pre-built computers at a pre-designated spec on a pre-designated budget for the consumer. This of course is useless if the user is unable to run software. In the older days, Linux was much more complex that it is now (in my experience anyway) people have grown and accepted Windows and therefore believe easy to use = more power. (although the truth is, the more complex it is the more powerful it can be)

Much as Keith pointed out, Linux used to be more complicated.

For someone coming fresh to modern distributions, it seems strange that Windows users are still saying Linux is hard to set up.

An XP+SP2 disc, and an hour later, you may be ready to start the interminable process of rebooting your machine multiple times, as you install the Windows update stuff, SP3, your favourite extra programs, your AV protection, and all those things you forgot that you wanted and can't find the CD for. My last such install took me about two days, before I had most of it done.

An Ubuntu install takes about half an hour and the system is then immediately usable. There may be some updates... but starting them installing will not interfere with you producing a presentation in OpenOffice and emailing it, say.

Agreed there. My first experiment with linux went thusly: I burned my iso to a dvd and when my old computer wouldnt read it(duh), I simply installed it on my xp machine as a dual boot. The resized partition made windows decide a file was corrupt(despite linux not writing to anywhere there was data), breaking my install.

In the end I had to reinstall windows and while it didnt take 2 days, several hours later I was left with a functional computer with little on it that I needed. I had to do all my graphics drivers, chat programs, games, gimp, virus scanner, et cetera. Still, I am a proponent of fresh installs even with linux.

Luckily the old machine still had xp on it, so I could trouble shoot my problem.

Of course, the original error was a PEBKAC. Luckily I had all my personal data on a separate partition and it was saved from a format. Now that I think if it, whats really odd is that Ubuntu resized that partition and not c:\ drive where windows resides. Maybe it was all coincidence.

So I figured out my bone head move and burned to a CD and got a successful install on the old machine.

Orwell, my problems with graphics in Ubuntu 6.06 dwarfs your fight with wireless, but at least I had net access and a workable, if not ideal display. Luckily 7.04 came out and a switch to that helped a lot, though I went through more fights with graphics card drivers(ATI).

From that windows fiasco and linux too, I have come to the conclusion that its just as well to totally reinstall. Even with windows limit of 3 activations, a fresh install every 2 years will give you 6 years of service.

Anyway. Back to viruses. I know some can be so recalcitrant that some techs just reinstall.

Use AVG Free and ClamAV

I never bother with anti-virus software on Linux.

WINDOWS IS AIDS-FOR-COMPUTERS (so that's why it gets viruses).

I was once forced to use it, and I pity the fool who pays to do so voluntarily.

EULA: This software may break your computer and we are not responsible.
Click "I AGREE" to continue installation.

This computer has performed an illegal operation and must be shut down.

To hell with that ****. I only "agree" to buy stuff that works. But Linux is free