Reply #11: Stable is a relative thing.

[bemildred]

I run FreeBSD most of the time, and used Solaris a lot.
Linux is OK, but can be as annoying as Windoze to keep up with,
and the learning curve to make it obey is still fairly steep.

W2K was an improvement, as were later NT versions, I've
heard mixed reviews on XP, and have no direct experience.

The security problems seem structural and endemic to all
M$ OSes, although some are worse, and a good deal of it is not
the OS but Outlook/IE and related crap.

I should say I run W98 and find it useful, but it is annoying
and time consuming to make it obey.

Your assessment of where the problem lies in your second paragraph
is right on. I am not trying to disrespect those who toil in the
fields of Micro$oft, I've been there too.

Regards.