Customers relax as 2005's most infectious worm cripples computers world wide

Customers relax as 2005's most infectious worm cripples computers worldwide

Calgary, Alberta (August 17, 2005) - The latest virus to devastate Microsoft Windows brought hundreds of thousands of computers to a standstill as technicians struggled to patch and repair systems. But it was business as usual for the many organizations running Userful's distribution of the Linux operating system.

Calgary-based Userful produces an operating system that is virtually immune to Windows viruses, spyware and other common Internet threats, saving each Userful client hundreds of hours of computer downtime and maintenance each year. The robustness of Userful's Linux distribution means that clients report saving an average of 50 per cent over the cost of traditional Windows systems.

"This latest round of infections indisputably shows the value of running computers that are immune to Zotob and all other Windows worms," says Userful President Tim Griffin. "Organizations such as libraries that offer public computer access trust and rely on Userful's Linux distribution to deliver reliable solutions to meet their tight budgets and the demanding needs of their users."

"I'm glad that our clients and their customers don't need to face countless hours of tedious work and frustration each time a virus is unleashed," adds Griffin. "This incident shows that now is as good a time as any to switch to Linux."

It has been widely estimated that hundreds of thousands of computers have been infected by the Zotob worm since Monday, but not a single Userful system has been affected.

"We've received absolutely no increase in support calls this week due to Zotob," says Reginald Tiangha, Userful's senior support analyst. "Since our customers' computers can't become infected by Zotob, or any other Windows malware, it's never really a concern when a new worm or virus hits the wild."

For more information, see:
DiscoverStation, Userful's Linux distribution: http://www.userful.com/products/discoverstation