So you’re saying it’s relatively simple for a layman (like myself) to never have any problems with any kind of malware, sypware, pop-ups, etc., as long as I follow a few relatively simple instructions and purchase no aftermarket products?
Well it looks like it’s mine and millions of other users faults when crazy things happen to our computers. My last machine was about 3 years old. Each pc I got I googled and went here and other places to see what I should do about all of these things and always went with what was the highest rated,etc. programs to prevent all of these evildoings on the internet and in my email, etc. I STILL had tons of problems and I’m not an idiot, I grew tired of having to go through all of this BS that is second nature to someone who is proficient on a pc like you. What seems easy and obvious to you is complicated and tiresome to me.
My point is I don’t expect people to come to the back tees with me and shoot in the 70’s because it’s easy for me it took tons of work to get that good. You have never had a freeze, crash, restart? You are the EXCEPTION. I shoot 70’s from the back tees, I am the EXCEPTION.
I did research, etc. wound up spending $$$$ on Norton everthing, was I protected from everything? No. So many of you computer proficient people take SO MUCH for granted about what’s “easy”, “second nature”, “common sense”, etc. Every month I was trying to get rid of some stupid file or something that invaded my computer and slowed it to a screeching halt no matter how much I spent on protection. I was always googling for help, checking what free applications there were also to protect me, etc. My PC was a PITA!!!
I’m the same idiot using apple stuff and I have none of my past problems, my point being I don’t care if it’s “my” fault that I had problems with my windows computer. I didn’t like being imposed upon and I didn’t like learning all about my computer the way so many others do and the gazillion tricks you guys know to keep your pc’s running spotlessly. I tried and it NEVER worked for me.
So I went with Apple, the computer for “dummies” and you know what I haven’t had all of the BS problems described above for over a year now, that alone was worth it. I don’t need mega processing power for the buck etc., I want to be happy and ignorant and able to use my computer without all of the headaches that every last one of my pc’s gave me.
You keep telling me it was my fault, let’s assume you’re right. It was too much work for me to stay ahead of the curve, and I found it 10 times more annoying than interesting. Some people hate golf, I love golf, but I can accept that they hate it. I hated and ultimately resented trying to protect my pc from slowing down, freezing,etc.
I don’t care that it’s Apple, if there was a computer company that was called simpering sissy boy inc. that made a computer that I didn’t have to worry about I would buy it and say yes, my computer is a simpering sissy boy and I haven’t had any issues with it.
It can be done, one can safely use Windows without having to buy other security products. It used to be harder but they finally added some long over due tools to the automatic download.
It is you and millions of other users fault, but that’s OK because people always have been and always will be the weakest link in security. Ever since a bribed guard let the Huns through the Great Wall we’ve known the real security problem is the people. Most of the viruses that have really ripped through the Windows world were Trojans (or semi-trojans), that means somebody double clicked on an exe they didn’t know what it was while being logged in as an administrator, and got themselves infected. Iloveyou ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ILOVEYOU ) is my personal favorite, it nailed 10% of the computers connected to the internet and every last one of them was because the USER screwed up.
And it’s important to note that while Mac’s are more virus proof no OS is completely secure from them. They can close down certain transmission methods and shut down many destructive paths, but in the end you must let the users install software and therefore the user will always be able to run a Trojan if they’re dumb enough.
I’ve had crashes of course, but I’ve never had cyclical crashes caused by malware. I don’t think I am the exception, even the most successful virus ever only hit 10%, that means 90% didn’t double click that beast. Really it’s no different than guns. There are a handful of incredibly simple rules to follow with a gun, if you follow those rules you will never ever shoot anything or anyone you didn’t want to, if you don’t follow those rules you’re a tragedy waiting to happen. You don’t have to be a gun expert to follow these rules, I was only 5 when I learned these rules (raised by Marines, there were guns in the house, the rules must be learned) so I know it’s not that tough. And you don’t have to be a computer expert to know the rules on how not to get malware, you just have to bother to actually read the message boxes provided by the OS.
I now I see exactly why you had the problem, and it seriously calls into question your research. Everything Symantec has ever purchased was turned to crap, Norton AV is complete junk, it’s protection is minimal, it’s a vicious resource hog, it causes problems with other software, and it doesn’t uninstall clean. Norton utilities USED to be the best application ever written, but that ended a long time ago, it’s a testament to how good Norton was that it too Symantec 3 full releases to ruin Norton, but that was over a decade ago. Never let Symantec software near your computer, not even a Mac, they find a way to ruin everything.
For a lot of reasons Apple is pretty close to immune these days. But if they ever actually become the Windows killer some of those reasons will go away, the user base will probably no long depend on Apple as an approver of all software, and the install base will make Mac a tastier target for the malware jerks. Yes the greater security Apple has built into the OS will help, but again it’s all about the people. Once you get enough dumb users willing to double click on anything while logged on as admins you will get viruses in the wild on Macs, they may be fewer and less destructive but they will exist, it can’t be helped, there’s always somebody willing to let the Huns through the gate.