Ubunto Internet Security

Okay, so i am a windows security freak. However, I just downloaded Ubutno ISO image & have a few questions.

1) Ubuntu 9.04 - Do I need an anti-virus/Firewall/Anti-Spyware ?

2) In comparison to Windows XP, How secure is Ubuntu? (50% - 50%)

3) Any tips or tools to better secure my ubuntu?

Sorry for the newbie questions, very new to ubuntu.

I'd like to appologize for the mistake in the title: Ubuntu *

Okay, so i am a windows security freak. However, I just downloaded Ubutno ISO image & have a few questions.

1) Ubuntu 9.04 - Do I need an anti-virus/Firewall/Anti-Spyware ?

2) In comparison to Windows XP, How secure is Ubuntu? (50% - 50%)

3) Any tips or tools to better secure my ubuntu?

Sorry for the newbie questions, very new to ubuntu.

I'd like to appologize for the mistake in the title: Ubuntu *

i run ubuntu on my desktop and its more secure out of the box then windoze is with all the add on programs.
on any linux flavor you dont need to worry anout spyware, thats a windoze thing.as for anti virus thats up to you. there are just a hand full of virus's for linux. the best thing to do is join the forum of the flavor you want to use and learn from them.
i belong to a few linux forums for the different flavors i used.

I'm running Ubuntu exclusively for a while due to serious virus issues.
Klam anti-virus scanned both the Windows and Linux file structures.
All told the highest number of "Suspicious Files" was 21265.

The basic choice is to trust Microsoft or accept a certain amount of ambiguity.
At least with Linux you can get under the hood if you are inclined to.

Trusting Microsoft is a potentially dangerous choice due to it's overwhelming presence.
it is a Barn size target for various spoofs and malfeasance.

I have spent a considerable amount of research on the virus issue and I have seem warnings against virus scanners that present themselves as windows security tools that are in fact Malicious Software.

Linux is a smaller target.
With enough study I figure one is openly encouraged to understand how it works.

Why do I need anti-virus software? Isn't Linux virus-free?
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Antivirus
(See more info in the link above)
# to scan a Windows drive in your PC
# to scan a Windows-based network attached server or hard drive
# to scan Windows machines over a network
# to scan files you are going to send to other people
# to scan e-mail you are going to forward to other people
#some Windows viruses can run with Wine.
# Linux virus infections are theoretically possible

Free version of commercial Antivirus

#AVG Antivirus
#Panda Antivirus
#F-Prot Antivirus
#BitDefender Antivirus
#avast! Linux Home Edition
#Avira Antivirus

Been doing a little reading ....
Sounds like if you want to set up a secure linux server you really need to know your stuff.
Basic workstation security seems to surpass Windows due to the (simple?) nature of Linux permissions.
NTFS has permissions too but from what I can understand M$ is interested in keeping some permissions open for "FULL FEATURE" operability.
Linux has certain warnings for users who decide to run "black" or "closed" software.
Some applications (like google earth, or video codecs) will not install unless you acknowledge that you are running the risk of running proprietary software.

There is an ideal:
(Platonic self-delusion perhaps ... Information needs to be free perhaps)
You need to trust that people who want software to be "good" want it to be "good" for no end other than it should be "good".
Goodness inherent in the soul.
Trusting that other souls will pay it forward.
So a Finnish dude named Linus did what Bil gates did ... created a piece of software to interface magnetic storage with RAM and processing.
Only instead of starting a Multinational Corporation, he hooked into this "Open Source" philosophy, encouraging others to add/modify freely.
And yes, look at the actual code.
He thought this was a "good" idea.
It allows improvements.
Any additions were encouraged to be "good" and "open".

So take Microsoft's statements about the shadows on the wall, or try to understand the nature of shadows ...
Either way they'll still be shadows.