Sun scientist James Gosling, the creator of Java, said this week that Windows NT is more susceptible to viruses and other hacks than Linux, UNIX and Java because of its poor design. Gosling, who was appearing at the JavaOne tradeshow in San Francisco, said that Microsoft had to finagle networking capabilities into its operating systems, causing them to be more vulnerable to attack. UNIX, meanwhile, he says, was designed with networking capabilities from the outset.
"Windows NT is a little bit better \[than Windows 3.x and 9x\], but not where it needs to be," said Gosling. "\[UNIX and Java\] have an iron-clad history."
Gosling notes that UNIX attacks are not impossible but are becoming more rare. Windows NT, he says, is coming under increasing attack. What Gosling fails to acknowledge, of course, is that UNIX was under constant attack for over 20 years, during its heyday. The increasing attacks on NT are purely the result of its popularity and availability as it outpaces UNIX. Like UNIX, Windows NT has benefited from the attacks, becoming more secure as a result