On Wed, 02 Jul 2003 05:46:50 +0200, karin <fritz@rodent.frell.eu.org>
prounounced a fatwah thus:

>I've just purchased a Tosh 6100 with XP Pro on it and am wondering if I
>need to install Win2k as I have on my other machine that also has Kerio
>(with sponge's highest protection), Proximitron, AdAdware, and Spybot along
>with TDS-3 for trojans.
>
>Will installing that software give me similar protection with XP Pro (P4
>processor) or is this the "resistance is futile" scenerio with XP?
>
>I don't want M$ accessing my machine and doing things I cannot control.

The jury is still out on XPpro. In addition to what you're already
doing, I'd suggest not using IE, OE, WMP, any of the messaging
options, updating, or any other M$ bull****.

Do *NOT* use the Kerio default configuration file; it allows XP to do
too much on its own. Use one of Sponge's files, and make sure you
have all the M$ IP blocks checked.

Disable all services that you don't actually need. See Black Viper's
XP services page http://blackviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm .

Get XP AntiSpy (Google it up) and go through its list. Disable
everything that you don't *know* you're going to need.

Uninstall any apps or components that you won't need. You can even
uninstall IE, but you'll have to search for the program that does it
unless somebody else reading this has the URL.

I have not installed any of the service packs, updates, fixes,
patches, or any other oh-sorry **** because I don't believe that M$ is
really going to get it right, and I don't want to expose myself to
whatever sneaky tricks they want to pull while I'm "upgrading". My
intent is to strip the OS down to its bare bones and use my own apps
rather than the M$ bells and whistles.

Use extreme firewall discipline; i.e., when you get an alert saying
that XP wants to do something and you don't know what it is, don't do
it! In fact, you can just turn off the alerts and forge ahead. Do
keep a log, though.

Run SpyBot, AdAware, and HijackThis frequently.

The reason I'm using XP is because I can't get drivers for some of my
hardware (laptop) for any other OS.