] The default install of Windows does not prompt for a
] password to be created for the primary user. It also is
] set to auto-logon, even after Service Pack 2 is
] installed. This means, for a default install of Windows,
] anyone can walk up, type "del /F /S /Q *", and your
] system will be hosed. Ubuntu, like most Linux
] distributions, set up a password for the primary user
] right away during installation. The primary user's
] password is required to do anything beyond the single
] users's environment, so why a user may screw up their own
] files, they won't destroy the system (which may contain
] tools which allow them to recover their files).

Kiosks and public terminals beware!

hohle. post