"if Linux had anywhere near Windows' installed base, it would be the focus of attention of thousands of hackers worldwide, and would not seem so secure anymore."

Three problems with that statement-

1) Linux has a far larger enterprise user base than windows. Enterprise is where the gold is. Hacking grandma's windows ME machine is what script kiddies go after. Even with the larger user base, 90% of Linux exploits require the user to be stupid.

2) Windows runs ALOT of garbage processes with alot of open ports that are huge security risks. Linux [typically] does not.

3) Linux security holes get fixed within days of their discoveries. Microsoft tries to hide vulnerabilities and can take years to patch them.

Linux is by far inherently more secure than windows.

"Pipes aren't entrances to your house, but your network connection to the cloud is? That makes no sense whatsoever."

I can't believe that I'm having to explain YOUR example to you.... Your assertion: "that people now hire people to maintain pipes [is analogous to network security]” ...is completely inaccurate because you're ignoring the whole point of the original posting: security

Residential pipes are NOT a home security risk. No one is going to gain access into your house through a ½” water pipe. Do you understand now?

"If you happen to live in an area where you need to worry about break-ins, then putting your applications in the cloud makes even more sense. What happens if you keep your servers local and your house or office gets broken in or burglarized? You'll lose all your business, and maybe expensive servers, routers and other equipment."

COMPLETELY NOT what the original post was talking about. The OP is discussing NETWORK security, not physical building security.

But, let's discuss physical security since you brought it up. Big corporate data centers are RIFE with theft. Hardware gets 'lost', rogue workers physically steal things and digitally steal things (especially when they're mad). ...and if the data center is in a big city, it's one riot away from being broken in to.

Let's talk about YOUR data center- Let's say you're stupid and can't secure a simple server with walls, doors and locks. If your sensitive data isn't encrypted and backed-up off site, you're an idiot. Someone steals the server, who cares, the data is encrypted and you have a back-up.
Same if you get broken into- data should be encrypted so the thief gets useless data.

"But if you run your application in the cloud, a burglary may lose you a few cheap client computers that shouldn't contain any of your important data; your web sites, files, databases are all alive and active in the cloud."
There are FAR MORE occurrences of digital break-ins and theft than physical break-ins and theft (again, what the OP was discussing). I'd love to see ANY stories you have of burglaries where servers were stolen.

One last thing: Big cloud operations is a HUGE magnet to cyber-theives. They are under attack all of the time with attempts to gain access. All it takes is a single successful attempt and thousands of user’s data can be stolen.
Your self-hosted server is a much lower profile target. The only people going after you is whomever you pissed off or script kiddies that stumbled across your server.

"It also seems weird that you're ok about outsourcing the water supply, but worry about outsourcing computing."
If you must know, I have a well. ....and I do my own plumbing (not that this has ANYTHING to do with the original discussion)
.

...and if you don't spend the money on IT to host your own (securely), you shouldn't be doing an IT operation.

Wells and pipes aren't entrances into your house. Things like that can be outsourced and you don't need to worry about break-ins and theft.

Things that are security risks should NOT be outsourced because the providers generally provide systems that do the most for the most people and generally don't care about YOUR security needs.

If you host critical systems on other people's hardware, you're a fool.

3) Allow customers to auto-reject calls from non-public (anonymous) accounts. If you can't publicly see who is calling you, you should be able to reject them.

Caller ID is broken by design.

EVERY call should include the unique account number that originates the call. VOIP also.

TELCOS: "We can't do that, we can't tell who made the call" - Bullshit. EVERY telephone company knows exactly who to bill for outgoing calls.

TELCOS: "We can't verify that oversea calls have accurate numbers" - Fine. 1) Prefix the account number with a company code that originates the calls. 2) Allow customers to auto reject calls without the account number or from companies that pass too many spoofed calls.

Again, EVERY telco knows exactly who to bill for an outgoing call.

1) "Linux still refuses to add support to run the Excel macros" - 'Linux' doesn't add any user features, userland is for users to support.

2) ZERO enterprise operations use Excel for ANY enterprise data. Excel is NOT a database. It's a crappy user data tool. Enterprise operation mostly use Oracle ((and Oracle DOES support Linux).

Not trying to argue with you, I know all about the study guides I have several, I know about the online stuff, I know about the test questions and answers by the FCC. The problem with these is, if you want to regurgitate the answers and pass, you're great. If you actually want to learn useful stuff, you can't, you can't ask questions. As far as contact/join a local club, I refer you back to: "only to find out that the nearest guy doing the test is in another city (because the guy in my city just up and quit)."

But all of these replies still doesn't address the fact that test administrations are few, far between, and usually inconvenient when they are available (which shouldn't be the case in a system designed to be self administered by people who have a vested interest in getting more people).

It was actually better when the FCC administered the test. I got a license from them by signing up for a test date, showing up (which a bunch of other people who were taking various tests) and actually taking the test.

You may claim that I am wrong on all of this but the cold dwindling numbers (and my experience) say that I am not.

...the classes and tests are administered by HAMs and there never is one.

I have tried for YEARS to get a license only to find out that the nearest guy doing the test is in another city (because the guy in my city just up and quit). IF you can get scheduled to take the test there's a significant chance it will be cancelled.

Don't even get me started on the classes. Few and usually very inconvenient.

It's called “structuring”.

THAT'S how you get arrested in the US for money laundering (even if you're not laundering money).

You do realise that the first stage (the heavy lifter) used [gasp] kerosene[gasp] because there's far more energy in 'fossil fuels' than in hydrogen.

And the space shuttle REQUIRED two solid boosters to lift it and that huge tank of hydrogen (again because there's not much energy in hydrogen).

"Considering oil is a non-renewable source" - You do know that millions of gallons of oil is currently being created in the ground right now as you type that. Oil creation is ALWAYS happening. It will continue to be created even after we stop using it.