This thing with the virus is an long lasting urban legend. First of all it's nowadays typically the applications that get attacked and second there is enough linux exploits around as well. Linux is by no means safer it is just less targeted at the moment. But the new thing are MiB attacks anyway.
Linux based appliances are quite loved as well as there is no additional security implemented. Once you are in thats it there is barely any risk of being discovered and even if how could it be made safe again without access?
Android is actually Linux-based and everywhere you can read that you should not try to use it without an AV. So much to this theory.
Anyone using the net without a firewall and an active AV is tempting fate these days.
Linux might be at lesser risk because it's less well known, and doesn't attract the "I hate Microsoft" hackers who target MS products for the hell of it, but the safer the better imo.
Most malware is downloaded inadvertently by the surfer, and is more likely to be about planting adware, or something that will give remote access to the computer than viral in nature. The usual clue being that the computer slows up because the processor is busy with other stuff in the background; destroying or damaging the O/S would run counter to the aims of the intruder.
I used AVG for many years, but then found it was causing issues, and the security techs on TSF have found that advising people to uninstall AVG has often cured slow running. Switched to the free version of Avast around a year ago, and have found it to be faultless.
While resenting Microsoft and all it stands for, I use some of their products because the grip they have established over the O/S market means that their systems provide the greatest amount of versatility re running all the main applications and programs.
I had Win 7 on a laptop, and it seemed fairly trouble free and stable, and I particularly liked the ease with which a full system back-up could be made. But despite being a professional version, it wouldn't run some of my older programs that have cost me a fair bit of money, so I stick with XP - which does everything I want from an O/S. XP also uses less RAM than Visa and 7.
Microsoft's bungling in the production of software has been a disaster for the new Nokia smart phone, and has meant that it is being sold for a fraction of the original price-point.
In complete contrast, google's Nexus 7 tablet has turned out to be a huge success in terms of hardware and software: being made by ASUS and running on jelly bean software. The voice activated software allows the user to ask a question, and by using google's vast database of knowledge, the machine gives a spoken answer to the question. At just under £200 the Nexus has won accolades and awards all over the place.
Hopefully, google will the first to break Microsoft's hold over the PC O/S market and provide people with value for money software that can be relied on.
