Linux help needed
 

I have begun migrating to Linux.

I have Ubuntu 8.10 running on an older computer right now and it's time to add some things to it.

First thing I need is advice on firewalls and anti-virus software.

Which? I am looking for ease of use as well as security.

I will have about a million questions as I go along!

Thanks in advance

Brian

It already contains a firewall: look in the Administrative stuff, wherever that is in Ubuntu, for firewall settings. It's called "iptables", but hopefully the Ubuntu menus don't call it that.

You don't really need anti-virus as the known viruses are few. You do need to be on security updates.

Keep up-to-date with the patches. No AV needed.

Good for you! What brought about the migration?

Disgust and a total refusal to upgrade to Win7.

Plus I just *wanna*!

As soon as I installed Ubuntu, I ran the updates and only found 368 of them! LOL! Tell me more about security updates please.

I have a few ebooks like Linux for Dummies and the like...geared for newbies. I'll get started reading those asap.

I just need bare bones knowledge until I get familiar with the file and command structure and such.

How about some information regarding GUIs?

I have GNOME currently but how does this compare with KDE or others? Which would a Windows user find most comfortable? Which is "better"?

People are mixed about the latest KDE. Gnome is more Windows-like.

It doesn't really matter all that much. Both are useful, and you can run anything from either of them. Best is just to pick one and then stick with it, I think.

Clamav for the antivirus side (though I haven't needed it). I haven't looked into the firewall side, but there are programs out there as GUIs for iptables, I believe, that make things easier.

Brian,

ClamAV doesn't have the greatest definitions, but it works and is easy to install.

However, AVG 8.5 is also out for Linux: http://free.avg.com/us-en/download.prd-afl

Try firestarter for a firewall GUI.

I was looking at Firestarter, it seems to be the most popular, according to Google. Is it truly necessary? Same for AV software. I notice that there are few virii written for Linux. Is it really needed? Or is it as Tony said? I tend to stay away from most sites which are good places to pick up malware of all kinds. Other than surfing newsfeeds, I go to the same sites nearly all the time. I was thinking of just having it and not needing it. Maybe running a scan quarterly, just to be sure.

As long as you create a user for yourself and don't run as root (i.e., Administrator), you will not have any troubles. Viruses don't live in the Linux world, for many reasons.

Buuut, this has been a trend for a while now - away from viruses, and more towards things like malware (you're invited to download this free software which will pwn your system) and cross-site scripting (using browser/website vulnerabilities to steal information).

It's a fine distinction. But generally it means that viruses aren't a problem on less popular systems, and other types of protection will be needed. AFAIK all majjor browsers are now attempting to detect sites that offer malware, and warning you if there's a possible problem.

Just run it, you're good to go.

BrianR,

I'd still run firestarter. Really. Paranoia pays, especially when even Windows 7 and the OEM AV on many machines comes with that setting turned on by default!

And I'd run the AV on your email because you may have friends that have send you infected messages. You don't want to be Typhoid Mary, you know :).

Ubuntu doesn't come with a root user by default.

And yes, Viruses/malware do live in the Linux and UNIX world. There's just not that many, and the ones that are out there target mainly web and application servers (Samba, etc.). Malware by any other name is still malware.

The one thing I would do if I were you would be to get the latest Firefox for your Ubuntu system, and run FlashBlock, NoScript, and several of the other really popular security plugins. Ubuntu doesn't ship with the latest Firefox. This will make you safer by turning off much of the crap.

Mitch, the latest Firefox is already installed, with my usual security plugins. I still have to remember my StumbleUpon password to install that one tho... :)

I made three accounts...Root, me and my wife. I don't use email other than Yahoo email so have not used any email client since 2005.

I figure that making a separate root account is put on the first five pages of all Linux books for a reason, so I did it. That many more knowledgeable people CAN'T be wrong!

I did get my first error message yesterday but it disappeared too fast for me to really catch it...something about not enough hard drives for a RAID. WTF? The computer only has one 80 gig HD and always has. I didn't know I could have a RAID with just one... Or that Linux would even TRY!

BrianR,

Ubuntu and many other modern linuxes set up a logical volume manager anyway. That's a standard thing.

Mitch

OK, first issue-related question.

Firefox is up to 3.6.3. I have 3.5.8. There are no updates available? And there is no update Firefox button on this version. I can download and save the tarball, but what do I do with it then?

Second question
 

How do I set it up so that I can transfer files from my Windows XP machine through my router to my Linux machine?

I want to transfer certain data files such as music, pictures and documents. There are too many to even consider burning them to a CDROM and using the sneakernet. Email is too kludgy and will take about a thousand emails. I want to simply search for, locate and connect to the other computer. Then transfer whichever files I want/need over here.

Do I need some kind of fileserver like Filezilla? Is there an easier way?