Go Fetch, Windows…Ello Snow Kitty

This post is going to be a rant. So, if you don’t like rants, you’re better off listening to a good song. To sum it up, I was previously using Windows as my primary operating system for work and home. I was doing design and Flash on Leopard but it was not my primary desktop OS. However my recent experiences have forced me to quit windows altogether and shift to Snow Leopard as my primary platform for work and home use.

It was some days ago that I was working on a little script and I had to leave my computer on for about an hour while connected to the Internet. I was using Windows 7 Ultimate with firewall on and ESET’s NOD32 in complete control. When I got back from a friend, to my surprise, Windows was unresponsive. I had no option but to shutdown manually. Upon the next boot, NOD32 started telling me that there were suspicious files in my temp folder and soon after that a virus signature started popping up in every exe file on my computer. It was not limited to the running processes but EVERY executable on my 3 hard disks. NOD32 was working but it was unable to catch up to the virus’ activity. Soon the virus had killed off windows’ services and important executable files. NOD32 was unable to clean the virus and so it deleted every file it scanned the virus with. And so the disaster struck. It was after so many years that I encountered a virus but it totally ruined my workplace.

The question does not lie where I ask that:

– I had a perfectly good Virus System running

– I wasn’t downloading any malware or something that could have executed the virus

– I left my browser open with a perfectly safe site, which probably could have executed an XSS script that led to virus downloading. Although, I had noscript enabled.

– Or that I am a n00b who does not understand how to avoid virus activity.

The question lies where I ask Microsoft that the last time THIS virus attacked me was on Windows 98. The exact same virus that ruined my computer 10 years ago was still able to execute itself on Windows 7 Ultimate. I mean WTF!!! This tells so much about Microsoft. They haven’t done the least bit to change their operating system’s core security. This also tells you that Windows hasn’t changed the slightest bit over 10 years. A recent report suggested that Windows 7 is prone to 80% of the viruses in the wild.

Windows 7 is being admired to have gotten a lot of stuff right but it is experiences like the one above that tell you how a company has only re-branded it’s product through overhauling the UI. The introduction of Microsoft Security Essentials is perhaps the step that Microsoft should have taken years ago. Anyway, this may be good news for the future versions of Windows.

Whatever the case, I have moved my entire workplace and home setup to Snow Leopard and I am liking it. Hey kitty, kitty…woh!! sharp teeth.