Oh no! Linux is not perfect!
Microsoft lovers were rubbing their hands with glee recently as it was discovered that there was a problem with the much vaunted security of Linux. Although this problem relates to only one variant of the open source operating system, namely Debian based distributions such as the very popular Ubuntu.
So, what is this error you wonder? Well it seems at if there has been a problem with the OpenSSL package that provides secure communication between clients and web and email servers. The problem is such that a simple patch will not resolve the problem as the keys generated by this program will also all need to be replaced, no small task!
What I found the most interesting in this whole occurrence was they hysteria that it created in the forums and chat rooms! Microsoft fans for once had something to dig their teeth into and they did just that, as they should, they have been talking quite a bit of flack of recent with the disappointment of Vista. I sat back and smiled with amusement at the back and forth between the Microsoft and Linux camps thinking to myself "it had to happen sooner or later".
To be honest I have been expecting such an event. As Linux grows in popularity so will the scrutiny that it undergoes and I for one hope that it can stand up to it. Yes, I use Linux and I have been for a while. I do not shout about it from the rooftops like some other Linux users because I feel that it is a personal choice of someone what OS they wish to use and who am I to make that choice for them? I did not choose to use Linux due to security but simply because I find it has better performance, more robust and I don't have to re-boot as often. I am quite willing to put up with one bug every 10 years for that as well!
