Mac OS X security myth exposed

Techworld ^ | 24 June 2004 | Matthew Broersma, Techworld

[Bush2000]

My advice is to get the superior weapon - the Mac.

My advice would be to evaluate your own personal needs -- and ignore the Mac Moonies.

[rwfromkansas]

Crashes in my windows system: Zero.
Crashes doing the newspaper in a Mac: too many to count.

[rwfromkansas]

Celeron is really "snaileron."

Don't get that. Make sure it is a real intel...

[HAL9000]

Apple announced a $499 Mac last week that can use your existing PC monitor and keyboard. I hope they will continue to drop the price as the supply catches up to the demand.

As a longtime reader of your posts on this forum, I know that you recognize the virtues of quality and craftsmanship, so I'm sure you would appreciate those things in a computer too - especially if it's a good value.

[Bush2000]

Having a monoculture is dangerous...

Having the converse is far more expensive. And, after all, perfect security at infinite cost isn't the goal -- it's sufficient security.

It may well be that the only reason for the smaller number of attacks on Apples and Linux systems is that they're less popular and present a less-appealing tharget, even if there are no technical security advantages to them, the fact that they represent a smaller target is a major practical advantage.

Assuming that the target doesn't become more attractive if/when people start moving in that direction...

Indeed, my biggest complaint with the DOJ's attacks on Microsoft is that they completely ignored the national security implications of having an OS monoculture. Pricing and trade practices pale in importance compared to that.

You want the DOJ to tell us what OSes we should use?!? I hope that wasn't your intent.

[Bush2000]

Crashes doing the newspaper in a Mac: too many to count.

"Bu-bu-bu-bu... Macs don't crash!" /sarcasm

[Bush2000]

"OS X had the highest proportion of "extremely critical" bugs at 19 percent."

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! Say it ain't so, Hal...

[Doohickey]

You're right, but that doesn't make them any less stupid.

[cyborg]

Learned that the hard way! lol

[rwfromkansas]

That is from several years ago. We use PC's now.....and only a brief period with some crashes on the PC's.

They have lots of probs in the town newspaper with their Macs though, according to the publisher.

[HAL9000]

They have lots of probs in the town newspaper with their Macs though, according to the publisher.

Most of the statewide and major city newspapers here are produced on Macs.

I haven't heard any complaints from the shops using Mac OS X, but some of the smaller papers that haven't upgraded from Mac OS 9 have occasional problems.

The Windows-based papers have the usual security and reliability problems associated with that platform.

[HAL9000]

Say it ain't so, Hal...

Number of active Mac OS X computers affected: Zero out of 14 million+.

[Squantos]

So yer the one that reads my posts ?:o)

I'll give the MAC a peek at the store......But honestly just am not in the market for anything new in the puter worlds as I'm the wizard of progress. Same day I buy anything the manufacturers come out with something better, best and just down right awesome.

I'm gonna wait em out !

[Doohickey]

Is that a reflection of the implementation and software run on the platform, or the platform itself?

[Bush2000]

Number of active Mac OS X computers affected: Zero out of 14 million+.

Hal, you and I both know that you can't make such assertions. You simply have no idea how many Macs have been exploited.

[HAL9000]

Is that a reflection of the implementation and software run on the platform, or the platform itself?

In my opinion, the biggest factors are the operating system, the application software and user experience.

[Bush2000]

Most of the statewide and major city newspapers here are produced on Macs. I haven't heard any complaints from the shops using Mac OS X...

They're too busy recovering from crashes ...

[Doohickey]

I'd re-order the factors, but that just means your experiences are different from mine.

[Doohickey]

Did you two date the same woman or something?

[HAL9000]

Hal, you and I both know that you can't make such assertions.

Sure, I can. I just did.

But don't take my word for it - here's the review of the latest iMac from The Wall Street Journal:

I am writing these words on the most elegant desktop computer I've ever used, a computer that is not only uncommonly beautiful but fast and powerful, virus-free and surprisingly affordable.

[snip]

The iMac has some less tangible advantages, too. It has a better, more modern operating system than Windows XP. It comes with a free suite of photo, video and music programs that can't be matched on Windows. And it frees users from the worry and expense of battling viruses and spyware, because there has never been a successful virus targeting the Mac operating system, and there is little or no spyware for the Mac. The many thousands of viruses and spyware programs that afflict Windows can't run on, or harm, Macs.