OSNews

In other words, if you had source code available for every Windows application you ran, and had eyes on that code that would package it for you, then Windows would probably be just as secure as Linux is. "

Possibly. The system with Linux relies on a bit more than just eyes on. It relies, for example, on the fact that one set of people, with a whole raft of different responsiblities, ties, and allegiences, write the code, as a collaboration, and that an entirely different set of groups of people package it in full and plain sight of what went in to it.

Duplicate that on Windows distribution channels and you may then one day approach the same level of trustworthiness.



Actually, you would be very surprised at what you can do, and what power is available to you, even if you limit yourself to run ONLY Free Software.

However, it should be admitted that there are some critical application areas that are simply not covered well enough by Free Software. OK, so here is an approach: limit yourself to just the one or two critical commercial professional applications, and do the rest with open source, on an open source OS.

For example, if you are a CAD professional:

http://www.varicad.com/en/home/

... then run it on a secure Linux system (Kubuntu and OpenSuse are recommended).

This way, you limit your exposure to getting a trojan to the installation of just that one or two critical-but-non-free commercial applications.