Security

Never understood why Windows' explorer hides extension by default. Does MS fear it would confuse their users?

What do you mean? linkin_park_-_numb.mp3 clearly has an extension, it's all the other files that don't!

One time I struggled debugging a program on a clean Windows machine. For some reason it seemed like it couldn’t find a JSON file that’s obviously in the system. I could even open the file on my own and view its contents.

Turns out after much frustration that the file was actually a json.txt file. I didn’t notice because the extension was hidden, so I only saw .json and thought it was fine.

The OS designed to prime the population into bad cyber security practices so they are more easily able to exploit and scam later on.

takes off tinfoil hat

You can’t imagine how much I hate this setting. A couple of weeks ago I helped a guy install some specific software on a windows machine provided by the customer. It’s like one exe with a config file. Pretty basic. My instructions were:

1. Copy the exe to a specific path
2. Create a new text file in the same path and copy paste this provided text into the file
3. Rename file to abc.xml

The exe was throwing errors because of the missing config file. Of course the filename was abc.xml.txt 💩

It's not like I want to defend windows, but If it needs admin permission you usually can't start it without confirmation.

Don't forget: Files have execute permissions by default!

where Linux?

Just hijacking a discussion about security. I would think that Linux users would be more security conscious. But I found in my buildings trash a bunch of HDDs, some 1TB and a 5TB, so I took them to see if they were ok (and recycle properly if not).

All ext4 formatted and with lots of personally identifiable information including emails and photos and stuff.

The previous owner was an early Linux dev, wrote stuff that is still in the kernel. Yet unencrypted drives just thrown in the trash.

I've cleared the drives and now use them for myself, after I searched for a wallet.dat file.

At a conference recently, one person accidentally sent the organizer a pdf of their presentation with their notes underneath each slide, instead of the presentation itself, but it was super confusing because the file was "presentation.pptx.pdf" which of course got displayed by windows as "presentation.pptx". The person who decided to hide extensions by default must be so proud of pulling off such a wide reaching prank

I'm literally trying to get into Linux and one of the first things was installing software, which involves copying and running random bits of code from whatever website has the highest search result. I would say a lot of software is running code you have no idea what it does.

Spoderman.mp4.exe

This sounds like Windows

Microsloth at work

Winget is their standard packaging solution

The rest is accurate but it’s user error

Noob question: Could someone make e.g. an executable linkin park - numb.mp3 file on Linux by giving it execute permissions? Probably not by downloading, but by replacing the file with a duped one.

Also the .mp3.exe trick and the likes could be easily detected by any security software easily, like Windows Defender.

Winget, get a popup when things request elevated rights,

It's ok, they just started the "security first" initiative, we're all saved.

Of all the reasons to be like "Windows bad, Linux good!" This one doesn't really hit.

Of all the actual differences, this is the one people think makes Linux superior? This is just a circle jerk lol.

Also known as: Windows

Oog, leave no HDD behind.