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 ...
FYI
Slashdot.org ran a story on it, likely creating much of the hype.
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.
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 ...
Interesting how the intersection of Windows users, virus writers, and Mac-haters is a null set. Wonder why?
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.)
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...
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.
No mention of the very-common side effect of switching to Macs: testicular atrophication.
i
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.
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.
The kernel is Mach, the userland programs are FreeBSD.
Its, not it's.
If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.
Aw come on Hank. Your personality screams out for a pierced nipple ;o)
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