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Switch to Macs Has Web All Riled Up
The St. Petersburg [FL] Times ^ | May 28, 2005 | Dave Gussow

Posted on 05/28/2005 8:24:15 PM PDT by quidnunc

A Seminole technology security expert is surprised by reaction to his post of frustration with Windows and Intel.

Winn Schwartau switched his office from PCs to Macintosh computers, a seemingly simple move that created an overwhelming reaction in the online world.

Schwartau is no mere computer user. He's a nationally known technology security expert from Seminole, so when he wrote in his online blog that he was tired of unreliable technology and fending off virus and spyware threats to his office PC he triggered a torrent of attention.

"I just didn't know this was going to be controversial," Schwartau said.

In a column titled "Mad as Hell," posted Monday at the Network World Web site and his blog (securityawareness.blogspot.com) on Wednesday, Schwartau declared that systems using Microsoft's Windows software and Intel processors are "a threat to the national economic security of any organization or nation-state that relies (upon) it."

The Macintosh community, always on the lookout for good news about Apple Computer and its products, started a flood of reaction. Schwartau's blog tracked 9,000 visitors Wednesday, 40,000 Thursday and 12,000 by midafternoon Friday. In a month, it usually gets 4,000 visitors.

According to Greg Hoffman, chief marketing officer for Schwartau's Security Awareness Co., responses were running 10-1 in favor of and praising the switch, which occurred last month.

-snip-

(Excerpt) Read more at sptimes.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Miscellaneous
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1 posted on 05/28/2005 8:24:15 PM PDT by quidnunc
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To: Swordmaker

FYI


2 posted on 05/28/2005 8:25:04 PM PDT by quidnunc (Omnis Gaul delenda est)
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To: quidnunc
Original posting:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1411775/posts

3 posted on 05/28/2005 8:26:46 PM PDT by solitas (So what if I support a platform that has fewer flaws than yours? 'Mystic' dual 500 G4's, OSX.3.7)
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To: quidnunc

Slashdot.org ran a story on it, likely creating much of the hype.


4 posted on 05/28/2005 8:27:30 PM PDT by SteveMcKing
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To: quidnunc

Needed: More hacker resources devoted to Mac weaknesses ...


5 posted on 05/28/2005 8:30:01 PM PDT by _Jim (<--- Ann C. and Rush L. speak on gutless Liberals (RealAudio files))
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To: _Jim
Needed: More hacker resources devoted to Mac weaknesses ...

Yeah, Jim. Why don't you head that effort up? Let us know when you come up with something that can match the virulence of any of the last few worms that have created the millions of zombies out there that are constantly spewing spam out on the net.

6 posted on 05/28/2005 8:40:43 PM PDT by zeugma (Come to the Dark Side...... We have cookies!)
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To: zeugma
Why don't you head that effort up?
Okay.

I'll forward an addy your direction via PM that you can then forward the necessary funds for underwriting that activity ...

7 posted on 05/28/2005 8:43:43 PM PDT by _Jim (<--- Ann C. and Rush L. speak on gutless Liberals (RealAudio files))
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To: _Jim
Needed: More hacker resources devoted to Mac weaknesses ...

Interesting how the intersection of Windows users, virus writers, and Mac-haters is a null set. Wonder why?

8 posted on 05/28/2005 8:51:15 PM PDT by 6SJ7
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To: 6SJ7
"Is there any money in it?" (any one of the three groups you listed)?

That's all I want to know ...

(PS. I've used everything from Xerox 820's that were powered by Z80's and usd dual Shugart 8" floppied to the TI 'toy' 99/4 to their mini's like the 990/12 that ran DNOS to the 'big iron' in both batch mode and interactive mode under TSO. Also add the VAX family up to the 8800 including the uVAx ... LOVED DECnetting between systems when working 'off campus' and needed to access the 'home system' ... THEN there was the *nix experience with both Sun and SCO hosted systems ... the -one- application platform I have never been exposed to is: the Mac.)

9 posted on 05/28/2005 9:01:00 PM PDT by _Jim (<--- Ann C. and Rush L. speak on gutless Liberals (RealAudio files))
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To: quidnunc

My son-in-law, who has always been a Windows guy, worked an internship in a local school maintaining their IT environment, which was heavily MAC influenced. He was very impressed, which is a major statement. He almost has me convinced to buy a Mac for my next computer. I might try the Mini just to play...


10 posted on 05/28/2005 9:07:36 PM PDT by Dubh_Ghlase ("Every man dies, but not every man truly lives...." Braveheart)
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To: SteveMcKing
Slashdot.org ran a story on it, likely creating much of the hype.

Probably. I'd never heard of this guy before he switched. I can name three or four computer security professionals who don't use Macs, so this guy switching isn't any paradigm-shifting revelation to me.

I bet his advertisers love the last week's page view numbers, though.

11 posted on 05/28/2005 9:08:27 PM PDT by Caesar Soze
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To: quidnunc

No mention of the very-common side effect of switching to Macs: testicular atrophication.


12 posted on 05/28/2005 9:09:31 PM PDT by Hank Rearden (Never allow anyone who could only get a government job attempt to tell you how to run your life.)
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i


13 posted on 05/28/2005 9:13:48 PM PDT by ambrose (NEWSWEAK LIED .... AND PEOPLE DIED)
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To: Hank Rearden
Macs are very cool. They have better CPUs then most WinTel boxes. The OS is a nice layered deal that uses FreeBSD as it's kernel. PC users wanting Mac level security can download FreeBSD. (As the name implies, it's free). You won't get the really world class GUI of the Mac.

On the other hand I think considering they have 90% of the market and are the huge obvious target for the virus-writers the Windows does a damn good job of keeping their systems running. They create tons of fixes and the auto-download system is totally painless. Despite my admiration of aspects of the Mac I find the overall utility and usefullness of Windows higher, and continue to run it.

14 posted on 05/28/2005 9:16:47 PM PDT by Jack Black
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To: 6SJ7
"Interesting how the intersection of Windows users, virus writers, and Mac-haters is a null set. Wonder why?"

I'm a iMac user. Bought new in 1998 and still using it. The keyboard is a bit beat up but it still works. To date, I haven't been hit with a virus, Trojan horse or the like.

Unfortunately, most servers, and yes, even Free Republic, are Windows user which are not completely friendly to Macintosh users. But we learn to adapt.
15 posted on 05/28/2005 9:22:25 PM PDT by Fruit of the Spirit
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To: Jack Black
Macs are very cool.

And they can't run my business. "Cool" means squat to me, and I don't want to have to grow a scraggly goatee anyway.

16 posted on 05/28/2005 9:25:28 PM PDT by Hank Rearden (Never allow anyone who could only get a government job attempt to tell you how to run your life.)
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To: Jack Black
The OS is a nice layered deal that uses FreeBSD as it's kernel.

The kernel is Mach, the userland programs are FreeBSD.

17 posted on 05/28/2005 9:39:09 PM PDT by cryptical
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To: cryptical

Its, not it's.


18 posted on 05/28/2005 9:55:32 PM PDT by sine_nomine (Protect the weakest of the weak - the unborn babies.)
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To: Bush2000; antiRepublicrat; Action-America; eno_; bentfeather; BigFinn; byset; N3WBI3; CFC__VRWC; ...
More reaction to Switching to Macs...

If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.

19 posted on 05/28/2005 10:03:50 PM PDT by Swordmaker (tagline now open, please ring bell.)
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To: Hank Rearden
and I don't want to have to grow a scraggly goatee anyway.

Aw come on Hank. Your personality screams out for a pierced nipple ;o)

20 posted on 05/28/2005 10:09:32 PM PDT by papertyger
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