"And again, exactly what are they mining out of my computer when I don't put anything in it?"

Nothing, absolutely nothing, but don't you see how you're contradicting yourself there?

  You do that by starting off with a trusted and open OS.

Open and trusted, and well documented to every hacker on the planet.  As far as the on line sh*t you seem as to not be able to live without, what's wrong with checks, cash, and the telephone when I have to?  I don't email my kid, I drive to go see her.  I only use my credit card with a few places, but those places, I've dealt with for more than thirty years.  By phone.  If I have questions, I don't wait a day or two for answers, I ask them and get the answers right away.  How is on line superior?  Banking, I get a monthly paper statement, to be filed with the rest, I know where I am with that.  And no, I'm not contradicting myself, I'm saying there's nothing there to mine, I don't have to worry.  If I was worried someone would read what I post, I wouldn't post.  The answer isn't what might be mined, it's putting what anyone would want to mine in the computer that's the problem.  And the argument that money is going to be made obsolete, bullpucky and the technofreaks dream.  "Bring your computer so you can plug into the parking meter".  Paypal, ebay, "Wow!  Get it now!  Rare! Vintage! and only $199.95!"  Just don't look it up where you'll find it's still available for $19.95 NIB from any reputable dealer.  But that's your world, not mine. I'd rather go talk to the dealer.

If I order from one of my suppliers by phone on Monday, I'll be opening the box before one in the afternoon on Wednesday.  If I order on line, it will probably be Friday, which I suppose in your mind is an improvement as you didn't have to talk to a human.  If you're happy with linux, goody.  Just don't think everyone else is going to fall into lockstep with you because you like it.  The rest of us get along just wonderfully with what we have and don't complain because you use something else.  Your opinion counts for exactly one, yourself and nobody else.

Doric

The "I" in Doric is Silent.