can someone please explain to me why i would need a firewall in linux(i figured i'd just use my routers firewall) but lets take a situation where i connect directly to the internet...and why would i also need an antivirus in linux there seems to be a lot out there claiming to get rid of viruses for me on my linux distro...but i thought the whole reason i was so willing to migrate to linux, was to avoid even thinking about viruses...are there any out there? have i any need to go and download the first i see suitable for my distro or should i still sit back and relax and just see the whole idea of a linux antivirus as a way for corporate world to extend there ever extending hand...somebody plz gimme adice on this if u have any...

These topics have been covered thoroughly in past threads. Take a look at the list of threads related to yours that are listed at the bottom of this page.

You definitely need a firewall because even though Linux is quite secure, someone can still crack into your system. Router passwords can also be cracked, so running a firewall on your computer is an important backup. As for antivirus, you do not need it, unless you share files with Windows users. Most antivirus solutions search for Windows viruses and not Linux viruses because there aren't any active Linux viruses out there.