> Given a non-priviledged account, the Linux system is FOOL PROOF for them,
> safe from any messing around. You'll never have to worry about them
> accidentally trashing some program file, deleting some dll, or otherwise
> endangering a system (d/l a virus/trojan, etc).
This is a good point and builds on the idea of the 'cultural' differences
between Unix and Windows that Stefan and I pointed out a while ago.
Windows, even current versions of NT, does not function well as a
multi-user OS; many (any maybe most) Windows programs are still written as
if they are meant to be run by the 'Administrator' account, the NT
equivalent of root. Imagine needing to be a privileged user to run a word
processor or web browser, and you get a glimpse of how difficult it is to
secure NT 4.0 machines. (Those examples aren't perfectly fair, but they
capture the general idea.)
So Unix platforms are really the only place you can effectively limit the
access of the *interactive* end user. I personally think that in
practice, this is more important in 'public clusters' than on end users'
machines, but I think it's a valid point either way.
Shawn