A beginner - some questions

["Michael Dertinger" <mdertinger juno com>]

Hello GNU:

I just putting out the feelers on the GNU Free Software.  I was looking at gnu.org, and gnome.org(for some 
free PC Network Diagram software), and was wondering about installing these on Microsoft Windows 2000 PC(s).  
I looked for information about viruses on GNU/Linux systems and protection against malicious coders.

How does GNU protect against viruses, malicious programming contributors, intrusions, etc.?

How much effort would it take to install something like the GNU/Linux or the Dia GTK+ (Visio alternative) 
software for computer network diagram purposes?  I'm not interested in auto-discovery.  It would be nice to 
have a simple, free program, for this, as opposed to paying $150 for a program that we won't use that often.  
(I'm perusing the Dia gnome pages, and it sounds Greek to me, concerning integrating into a Windows PC.)

You have tons and tons of information, but if you could provide some simple, brief introductions to 
GNU/Linux, Dia, and their simple practicability to the currently existing Microsoft Windows environment, that 
would be helpful :-)

I volunteer at a church that has, approximately, 40 networked PC's, running Ms Windows 2000 (a couple with 
XP), and a Dell Windows 2000 server.

Thank you for your time,
Michael Dertinger

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