Posted on 05/11/2006 1:24:06 PM PDT by quidnunc
There's no other major item most of us own that is as confusing, unpredictable and unreliable as our personal computers. Everybody has questions about them, and we aim to help.
Here are a few questions about computers I've received recently from people like you, and my answers. I have edited and restated the questions a bit, for readability. This week my mailbox contained a question about security software for Macs.
If you have a question, send it to me at mossberg@wsj.com, and I may select it to be answered here in Mossberg's Mailbox.
Q: There's been a lot of press lately about increased virus activity on the Macintosh platform. Should Mac owners now be running the same kinds of security software that Windows owners use?
A: There is no sudden security crisis on the Apple Macintosh platform. In fact, for average Mac users, there isn't a security threat of any significance, at least not yet. It is laughable to compare the real, massive and burdensome security problems on Windows with the largely theoretical security problem on the Mac.
As I have said in the past, no operating system is invulnerable to attack, including Apple's Mac OS X operating system, which powers Macintosh computers. It is possible to write malicious software for the Mac, including viruses and spyware, and it is possible for this software to spread in the wild, infecting many Macs.
-snip-
(Excerpt) Read more at ptech.wsj.com ...
I have no need to justify the price I paid... I can afford to buy what I want... or several of them. In fact, I have three desktop Macs and two, no, make that three, laptop Macs (Forgot the old Macbook 150 I bought at a garage sale for $10). I also have a decked out WindowsXP Professional Computer across the room collecting dust (I work with them every day... and get very well paid for it, too.. dis-infecting them, configuring them, networking them, tweaking them... why should I even WANT to turn the damn thing on?). Yet, I can come home and wake up my G5 with the 23" Cinema monitor and ENJOY working on a project or just surfing the web. The people I know who use PCs at work generally don't want to have anything to do with another PC when they come home.
Cost? A couple of hundred bucks is irrelevent... that's two to three hours work for me. Hell, I could buy a Hyundai but I prefer a Daimler Chrysler 300, so I bought one. Why? The Hyundai would get me from point A to point B... and do it a lot cheaper... but I prefer the bells and whistles of a fully decked out luxury car. I prefer the comfort and accoutrements of the Chrysler. It is just a lot more pleasant to drive the Chrysler than anything else.
Similarly, I could buy (or build) a real kick-ass PC with the fastest processors, biggest hard drive, killer graphics card, and awesome sound... and I know how to configure it and keep it safe and secure from malware. I could spend my time playing with Linux, searching out the neato open source Linux apps and utilities, or downloading and trying various Linux flavors of the day... but... I JUST DON'T WANT TO. PERIOD. I want to enjoy my computer.
It is strange, but I only hear PC users say the phrases: "Get over it, it's only a piece of hardware." or "It's just a tool." I have never heard a Mac user say those things.
Most Mac users are converts, having grown frustrated and bored with their computing experience on Windows PCs... or switch hitters... who are required to WORK ON Windows in their day jobs and absolutely relieved to go home to a computer that works WITH THEM.
Many of them, like me, are professionals in the IT field and know a hell of a lot about both platforms... and have chosen what they consider to be the better platform. They have made a well considered, conscious decision to spend the extra dollars for a Mac and do not regret it or need to justify it because they have done so already. It is THEIR money... not yours. They don't need you to tell them that they could have stayed with something most of them have grown to detest and save a few dollars.
You WILL hear the Mac users who have switched from Windows say "I've never looked back."
There is a reason.
I think a useful analogy is to compare operating systems to cars.
Microsoft is like Ford. It's very standard, it's everywhere, and it's commonplace. It also has very exposed flaws, and in terms of performance, it's becoming less and less satisfying.
Macintosh is like Lexus. It's more elegant, easier to use, more reliable, but at the same time, is not as mainstream as Microsoft because of cost issues, though admittedly this is changing.
Linux is like a hot rod. The discussions we have about various distros are akin to getting engine parts together and assembling it. You can make a highly efficient system with Linux - more finely tuned than the others, but then again, you have more opportunity to finely tune it, as Linux requires more participation from the user to put it together.
Thus it leads to the following heirarchy - for myself, I use Linux, but then again I am a techie. I'd also give Linux to people that are non-technical, once I'd tuned it for them. That would yield an optimal scenario in terms of performance and cost. Barring that, I'd give non-technical people a Mac. Last choice is a Windows system.
Regards, Ivan
like you cant use a large monitor on a pc... WTF.
I can agree with your analogy... until your hotrod breaks down and the mechanic who maintains it is on vacation...
Did I say that. No.
On the other hand, my 3 year old G5 is having no trouble at all in displaying my 32 bit (millions of colors) color depth, 1680 X 1050 pixel, fully animated desktop at 84 - 102 frames per second... all the while running nine major applications, including running a Quicktime 720p high resolution video at 32 FPS in a window... and the CPU usage hit the animated Desktop takes is less than 2%. That's with the standard factory installed graphics card. Here's a screen capture of that desktop animated background:
This JPEGed picture is a little blurry because of the reduction in size and quality to get it to load in any reasonable time on the web and to save bandwidth... but my Mac is handling a multi-megabyte 32bit color picture in real time AND underlaying it under my desktop icons and menus and it is crystal clear and sharp. That's what Core Graphics and Quartz Extreme can do.
The animated wallpaper for PCs leave a little to be desired... like large CPU usage hits... for little results.
By the way, the background I am using is a "Marine Aquarium" screen saver from Serene Screen. It is available as a screen saver for Macs (both OS9 and OS X) and PCs. I use a little application called xBack for Mac that will use any screen saver as desktop background (wallpaper for you PC users).
so you paid a few thousand bucks for a digital aquarium?
The point of a hot rod is that you maintain it yourself, and there is a body of literature out there to assist.
Having Linux is more than just switching an OS - it's also educational.
Regards, Ivan
Nope, just a perk of having a Mac... and if you must know, I paid $1700 for my G5 three years ago this September.
MMMMmmmmm, nice... but does she move?
dont understand need for the eye candy, i turn all stuff in linux. no point to it.
In my dreams she does... but I won't get into that... :D
That's the problem with Linux... most people want to work with their computers, not ON them. I've been the UberGeek. I've done the "hot rod" mechanic approach to computing...
I, like most people, don't want to. At 57 years old (in three weeks or so) I have earned the privilege of not having to maintain my cars or my computer myself.
Just like some people don't understand the need for the trip computer, power leather seats, power moon roof, etc., in my Chrysler... it isn't a "need"... its a want. I like it.
Besides its fun to show to Windows users who immediately want it on their Windows XP machines and I can tell them they can't have it. Maybe when Vista ever get's released... if ever... Evil, ain't I? ;^)>
Then Apple is your thing. With 300,000 programs that won't run on it, none of them will be malware.
In 23 years of using, building and maintaining PCs for others, Melissa is the only uninvited guest that has gotten past my simple precautions.
Of course I don't invite "escort services" into my home. I'm fairly boring that way.
You could sue Apple... every body does... but then we are conservatives and take responsiblilty for ourselves.
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