BleepingComputer.com: Linux Distributions - Questions

I have several questions about Linux Distributions (like Ubuntu, Mint)...

1. Does Linux Ubuntu / Mint (and other) needs a registry maintenance (a registry cleaner)?
2. Does Linux Ubuntu / Mint (and other) needs a disk maintenance (a disk defragmenter)?
3. Does Linux Ubuntu / Mint (and other) has a start-up manager?
4. Does Linux Ubuntu / Mint (and other) needs a separate uninstall manager... does Linux Ubuntu's / Mint's (and other's) built-in uninstall manager uninstalls completely (including files, folders... etc.)?

Also...

5. Is it true, that any Linux Distribution doesn't needs an any kind of Anti-Malware software to stay secure?
6. What built-in tools does Linux Ubuntu / Mint (and other) has? What separate tools does Linux Ubuntu / Mint (and other) "accepts"?

Thanks in advance.

Those are very good questions!

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Linux does not use a registry, so nope.

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Not really. Most Linux distros use either EXT3 or EXT4 for their filesystem (Windows uses NTFS or FAT32.) The structural differences between NTFS/FAT32 and EXT3/4 are such that EXT3/4 does not suffer from fragmentation unless the drive is 95% or more full already. Here's a very good and easy to understand overview of why EXT3/4 is fragmentation-resistant: http://geekblog.oneandoneis2.org/index.php...d_defragmenting

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I'm not 100% sure what you mean by "Startup Manager" but I'll try to answer you anyway. If you mean a program that controls what programs automatically start when you log in/power on then yes, Linux does. It's called init.d. How you interact with init.d depends on your distro, but most come with slick little apps to make starting/stopping programs easy.

If you mean, instead, a program which boots the Linux kernel, then yes. Depending on the distro, there is GrUB and LiLo. You really ought not mess around with the setting for these until/unless you know what you're doing.

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Almost every distro now comes with what is known as a "Package Manager." These package managers are responsible for download, installing, updating, and uninstalling all the programs on the computer. This is very unlike Windows where every program has its own installer and uninstaller provided by the maker of the program. These package managers are very good at what they do, and very rarely will an uninstallation leave behind files (except for custom settings files, found in your /home directory which you can just delete... or not). And even then, they have commands that will "autoclean" the system, looking for unused programs and packages to remove.

Ubuntu, Mint, and other Debian based ditros use the APT Package management system, one of (IMHO) the best there is.

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Yes, this is true. Linux is intrinsically more secure than Windows is. While there may be debate over whether this is because Windows is a bigger target or because Linux is better designed, the fact remains that Linux is safer. There are antivirus applications for Linux, though these programs actually only scan for known Windows viruses (so if you're running a file or e-mail server with Windows clients, they come in handy).

One of the key security measures in Linux, I think, is that programs aren't automatically allowed to execute. The user must explicitly give a file the permission to run as an executable, unlike in Windows where the executability of a file is determined by the extension (.exe, .scr, .txt, etc.). So all you have to do is use common sense.

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More than will fit here.

http://packages.ubuntu.com/jaunty/
http://packages.linuxmint.com/

AmazingAndrew and rhino1366,
Thanks from me too ... cleared up some points for me as well.