Is Windows a virus?

No, Windows is not a virus.

Here's what viruses do :

• They replicate quickly.
  Okay, Windows does that.

• Viruses use up valuable system resources, slowing down the system as they do so.
  Okay, Windows does that.

• Viruses will, from time to time, trash your hard disk.
  Okay, Windows does that too.

• Viruses are usually carried, unknown to the user, along with valuable programs and systems.
  Sigh... Windows does that too.

• Viruses will occasionally make the user suspect their system is too slow (see 2) and the user will buy new hardware.
  Yup, that's with Windows too.

Until now it seems Windows is a virus.

But there are fundamental differences:

• Viruses are well supported by their authors.
• Viruses are running on most systems.
• Their program code is fast, compact and efficient.
• Viruses tend to become more sophisticated as they mature.

So Windows is not a virus.

It's a bug.

No, Windows is not a virus.

Here's what viruses do :

• They replicate quickly.
  Okay, Windows does that.

• Viruses use up valuable system resources, slowing down the system as they do so.
  Okay, Windows does that.

• Viruses will, from time to time, trash your hard disk.
  Okay, Windows does that too.

• Viruses are usually carried, unknown to the user, along with valuable programs and systems.
  Sigh... Windows does that too.

• Viruses will occasionally make the user suspect their system is too slow (see 2) and the user will buy new hardware.
  Yup, that's with Windows too.

Until now it seems Windows is a virus.

But there are fundamental differences:

• Viruses are well supported by their authors.
• Viruses are running on most systems.
• Their program code is fast, compact and efficient.
• Viruses tend to become more sophisticated as they mature.

So Windows is not a virus.

It's a bug.