Over at the Register they have published a security report comparing Windows and Linux [PDF]. The results are as expected, but the report does a good job of debunking the FUD that Microsoft is spreading about the security of their excuse for an operating system.

Those system administrators out there still running Microsoft based servers for anything need to read this and then install something that actually might be able to do the job in a secure fashion. Windows will never be secure until it is completely redesigned and rewritten to be so. The design of Windows is simply flawed in such a way that it can never be secure. Above all though, remember that no software, including operating system software, is 100% secure. Keep watching for updates and make sure you install them (Linux, or perhaps even better FreeBSD system, will significantly reduce the amount of work you have in this area though!).

For desktop users the problem is a little more complex as the only really viable alternative for general use is Mac OS X, but it requires special, and often expensive hardware. The problem is that Windows requires more attention than any other OS I’ve used, but most of the people using WinXP do not have the required skills to maintain it securely – myself included much of the time. Keeping up with all the flaws is a full time job, and I don’t want a second job!