Specs of Laptop 1.40Ghz 1.256 GB DDR 60HD internal 60GB external DVD-CD-RW need I say more? I'm tired of windows too many viruses, maleware, spyware, adware attacks and it keeps me from completing homework, and game engine. I'd like something like MacOS, but you know I've been told can't run Mac on a laptop, and I've tried Ubuntu 7.04 (it's been awhile) Fedora 5 (yea that too) and some other distro of linux, however, there were important drivers missing that I needed to use to have a full functioning laptop. Where to go? edit: Also I'm extremely use to Visual C++ and transfering to linux I know I'll lose the software. Any recommendations if I do turn to any unix system that has the look and feel (without garbage) of Visual C++ would be much appreciated as well...

Vectorlinux and Codeblocks

I'll agree with Stonemetal and Dranith. I've not once ever had a serious spyware/malware problem on any Windows PC I've owned, experienced no instability and have generally had a positive Windows Experience. Any lite adware I may have contracted was easily dispatched with a quick run of AdAware.

Now, I've been asked to clean up many PCs for other people and the two consistent trends are 1)Teenager constantly using torrent or P2P programs and 2) parents who think they know enough to fix shit but don't.

Linux has notoriously bad support for arbitrary laptops in terms of drivers. Laptop hardware is often specialized in some way, unlike the standards present on the desktop. Driver support is usually filtered through the laptop manufacurer, rather than the hardware vendor -- which means a delay at best and a total lack of updates or support at worst.


My advice is stick with Windows, running Firefox with sensible security levels and pop-up blocker at all times unless strictly necessary. Make your Firefox icon easily accessible, set it as the default browser, and use a third-party Instant Messenger like Trillian since Microsoft's Messenger will specifically launch IE when someone sends you a link, even when its not the default browser. Delete the IE icon from your desktop, taskbar, start menu and any place easily accessible -- bury it in Start->Programs where its inconvenient enough to not be your go-to browser, but convenient enough to find when you absolutely must view a site that requires IE (for some reason government sites are really bad about this.)

Now, don't do stupid things with P2P or torrents; nakedhotchickpictures.exe is not what you're expecting! Quit visiting pop-up supported warez, roms and pr0n sites! That sort of thing.

Don't try to fix things that you don't know how to fix, especially if you're just clicking around trying one thing after another until it seems to work again; you're just making things worse. At the very least, research problems you encounter before attempting to fix them -- The internet has a procedure for just about any common (and not-so-common) windows problem and if you're competent at searching google and describing the problem well you should find no shortage of help.

I've run 4-5 different desktops and 3 different laptops over the past 10 years or so, all windows, and I've never once had a need or even desire to re-install or ditch windows due to viruses, Adware, Malware or other cruft. I don't even run a firewall or anti-virus on my computer (though I scan from time to time, just to be safe.) My younger sister, on the other hand, can practically destroy a PC in one month's time. Clearly it has far more to do with the User than the OS (virtues of the security of Open Source notwithstanding.) Linux won't make you develop safer browsing and computer habits, there are just fewer chinks in its armor.