For those who continue to bash Microsoft - A Question

The security issue brings up another point about the 'anti-ms' thing. I am kind of a semi-IT guy where I work, and I end up doing a lot of tech support for friends and family too.

The thing you always hear when someone has a problem is that they have a 'virus'. Honestly, in my experience, it is quite rare to see a seriously infected system. If there is a virus that makes people by $400 computers with 256MB ram and tons of awesome free software installed, then security experts need to tackle that thing asap.

When Mac users have problems the perception generally seems to be that it is just because they don't have the latest macbook or G12 or whatever and their system is old and slow (even when it may not be that old)...it has nothing to do with the 10 chat programs that they have installed.

In cases where someone actually does have a virus, it is usually when someone has been downloading music, porn, or warez and they get a backdoor virus that tells them to 'click here to install anti-virus' which basically opens the floodgates to their system.

Most Windows users are foggy on the idea of running a clean machine. OS reinstalls are common for those users. Mac users by design don't install as much crap 3rd party $hitware.

My machine (Dell XPS) has the OS, Office 2316, all Canon software and a couple Adobe programs. I haven't had to reinstall an OS for years. A lot of years.

cosworth wrote in post #3189531
Myth. There are security issues with OSX. Minor ones.

The meaning was viruses and malware - there are none for OS X. Please refrain from taking my statements out of context.

I get it just fine.

Village_Idiot wrote in post #3189599
It wouldn't be the first time...

Talk about the kettle calling the pot black.

bacchanal wrote in post #3189575
If this is true, it is only because of market share.

Your statement is without merit. Have you heard of Podloso? It's malware that can infect iPods that have Linux installed on them. Talk about a tiny, tiny market share.

Yet none for OS X.

Tony-S wrote in post #3189818
Your statement is without merit. Have you heard of Podloso? It's malware that can infect iPods that have Linux installed on them. Talk about a tiny, tiny market share.

Yet none for OS X.

Replace only with mostly. It's not like the ipod runs OSX (though it can).

So I guess A-leap isn't a virus? It's not a trojan.

cosworth wrote in post #3189726
Most Windows users are foggy on the idea of running a clean machine.

I would hate to think how many pc's I have bought over the years. I recently clued into the fact that I would be much better off ordering with just the OS and nothing else. The retailers tend to make it harder than it should be. I suppose that they really want us clicking on all that $hitware as you put it.

I bought a new pc last month and finally found someone that would deliver it with just windows, no anti-virus, nothing else. What a treat and the computer hums along just fine.

I believe that there was a time that the Mac was so superior to the DOS based environments that there was no question as to what to buy for certain tasks. Now, imo, the pc is so much closer (though still not as good) to the Mac that it starts to be a mute point.

I relate this whole argument to the Canon vs Nikon debate. At the end of the day you get to let off a little steam and you will continue to support the one of your choice. Of course, only your choice is the right one.

Village_Idiot wrote in post #3189614
Name me 10 companies that run an Apple OS on their servers thats primary function is to store credit card numbers and process credit card transactions.

Is there some relevance of your question to this thread?

For what it's worth, Xserve comes with File Vault, an on-disc 128-bit AES encryption algorithm, as well as SSL. Not only are credit card transactions secure (as secure as SSL can be), but even if someone were to gain access to the drive to take the database, those credit card numbers couldn't be decrypted without the password.

Tony-S wrote in post #3189887
Is there some relevance of your question to this thread?

For what it's worth, Xserve comes with File Vault, an on-disc 128-bit AES encryption algorithm, as well as SSL. Not only are credit card transactions secure (as secure as SSL can be), but even if someone were to gain access to the drive to take the database, those credit card numbers couldn't be decrypted without the password.

The relevance is that not many people run apple OS's on their servers compared to microsoft and certainly not many large corporations out there running an Apple OS on their servers.

Since Microsoft is the most unsecure OS out there, it makes sense for all these large companies running them on their servers so that they can be hacked...

cdifoto wrote in post #3108060
Well, Nikon does have the edge with it's flash system...

Oh wait, sorry. Wrong war...

About summons it up.

cosworth wrote in post #3189851
So I guess A-leap isn't a virus? It's not a trojan.

No, its a worm (thus requires user authentication to run it). No viruses for Mac OS X.

JoeW wrote in post #3189701
I use both systems (I have two systems hooked up to the same monitors and bounce between the two with a button). I use the Windows machine because I do website development and like to test my designs on the type of machine most of the world uses. I use the Mac because I do print design and I like using it. Both machines are pretty good (the Windows one was around $1700 new and the Mac was around $3400 new, so you'd assume the Mac would be better--and it is. In addition, it was purchased a year and a half before the Windows machine and still outperforms it (on most tasks). And man the Windows machine has crashed so many times I'd rather not say--and even had to reinstall on it twice. The Mac has crashed--every few months something will crash on it (maybe about 8 times in the last 3 years). Just my experience. Others have had different ones.

Thanks for your response even though you didn't answer my question.

Tony-S wrote in post #3189773
The meaning was viruses and malware - there are none for OS X. Please refrain from taking my statements out of context.


I get it just fine.

Do you? Please enlighten me then. Except for one small remark I have seen nothing in your comments that begins to answer the question that I posted earlier.

Tony-S wrote in post #3189887
Is there some relevance of your question to this thread?

For what it's worth, Xserve comes with File Vault, an on-disc 128-bit AES encryption algorithm, as well as SSL. Not only are credit card transactions secure (as secure as SSL can be), but even if someone were to gain access to the drive to take the database, those credit card numbers couldn't be decrypted without the password.

Is there any relevance of your questions to this thread. I specifically asked whether or not Apple would have the same "problems" that Microsoft faces if it had the same market share. None of your comments contribute to this question.

So then there is Opener/Renepo.

Oh and OOmpa LOOmpa.

To say there are zero security issues with OS X and to think that will continue is well, not correct. These are just the ones I've heard about. I'm sure there are smaller issues.

Yeah, let's get this back on track.

ssim wrote in post #3189874
I would hate to think how many pc's I have bought over the years. I recently clued into the fact that I would be much better off ordering with just the OS and nothing else. The retailers tend to make it harder than it should be. I suppose that they really want us clicking on all that $hitware as you put it.

I bought a new pc last month and finally found someone that would deliver it with just windows, no anti-virus, nothing else. What a treat and the computer hums along just fine.

Very true. I think Dell now gives you an option to leave out the junk on some of their higher end PCs. The best way to go is build your own or get someone to do it for you.

ssim wrote in post #3189874
I believe that there was a time that the Mac was so superior to the DOS based environments that there was no question as to what to buy for certain tasks. Now, imo, the pc is so much closer (though still not as good) to the Mac that it starts to be a mute point.

It's funny that you say that, because in my mind PCs have always been superior on the hardware side, and Macs have recently begun to close the gap, but they still aren't as good. Two different mindsets, and different user styles I suppose.
I don't think it's any secret that windows wants to have OSX's GUI experience, while Apple has always been a little jealous that they can never be on the true cutting edge of hardware. They are both getting better though. I wouldn't have given Apple a second thought before they went Intel.