From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Thu Feb 9 17:44:25 2006 Return-Path: X-Original-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 9D3B216A422 for ; Thu, 9 Feb 2006 17:44:25 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from mail@ozzmosis.com) Received: from smtp2.syd.swiftdsl.com.au (smtp2.syd.swiftdsl.com.au [218.214.225.98]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with SMTP id 7F65A43D5D for ; Thu, 9 Feb 2006 17:44:23 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from mail@ozzmosis.com) Received: (qmail 18117 invoked from network); 9 Feb 2006 17:44:45 -0000 Received: from unknown (HELO blizzard.dancer) (218.214.144.129) by smtp2.syd.swiftdsl.com.au with SMTP; 9 Feb 2006 17:44:45 -0000 Received: from blizzard.dancer (ozzmosis@localhost [127.0.0.1]) by blizzard.dancer (8.12.11/8.12.11) with ESMTP id k19HiKTu047301 for ; Fri, 10 Feb 2006 04:44:20 +1100 (EST) (envelope-from mail@ozzmosis.com) Received: (from ozzmosis@localhost) by blizzard.dancer (8.12.11/8.12.11/Submit) id k19HiKnP047300 for freebsd-questions@freebsd.org; Fri, 10 Feb 2006 04:44:20 +1100 (EST) (envelope-from mail@ozzmosis.com) X-Authentication-Warning: blizzard.dancer: ozzmosis set sender to mail@ozzmosis.com using -f Date: Fri, 10 Feb 2006 04:44:20 +1100 From: andrew clarke To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Message-ID: <20060209174420.GB46771@ozzmosis.com> References: <200602091432.44622.bastill@adam.com.au> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <200602091432.44622.bastill@adam.com.au> User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.11 Subject: Re: Protecting Windows X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Thu, 09 Feb 2006 17:44:25 -0000 On Thu, Feb 09, 2006 at 02:32:44PM +1030, Brian Astill wrote: > Person with deteriorating vision has discovered Dragon > Naturally Speaking which not only allows the construction of text > from speech but can also speak from received text. ie letter writing > and email conversing etc become possible for the visually impaired. > > All of which is wonderful except - you guessed it - the %$$#@*& > program runs on Windows 2000/XP only. Why would anyone in their > right mind NOT port a program as sensible as this to a SECURE OS? I don't know of any such software for Linux or BSD. Does similar software exist for Mac OS X? It might. There is a bigger market for it. To me, the usual routine of securing Windows seems to be the wisest choice in this instance, eg. not allowing end-users to have Admin rights, and where possible, using open source software (Firefox, Thunderbird, OpenOffice, Abiword, ...) that's written and updated regularly by security-conscious people, etc. Some simple words of advice (beware of email attachments, etc) may also help. Running a simple standalone FreeBSD/Linux firewall "in front" of the Windows may also help security somewhat, preventing attackers connecting directly to the Windows machine. Note that many broadband cable/DSL routers perform the same task when working in "Internet sharing" mode (sometimes known as NAT). Regards Andrew