[X-Newbies] BBC NEWS | Technology | Apple pushes anti-virus for Macs

[Michael Winter]

On Dec 3, 2008, at 10:22 AM, Shawn King wrote:
> If it gives you piece of mind, buy and install anti-virus/anti-malware
> software. It's not needed *right now* but it may be preventative  
> medicine
> for a *possible* future threat.


Just to add on, you have to weigh the cost and benefit. Its much like  
insurance. But keep in mind the cost of anti-virus software isn't just  
what you pay for it. There's the time and cost of maintaining it and  
the impact it may have on your computer. AV software itself isn't  
flawless and has, in the past, caused problems. That's the primary  
reason I stopped using it a long time ago.

On the other side of the coin, even though it would be pretty simple  
for me to restore a system that's been infected, deleting or  
corrupting files in no longer the primary concern. Stolen passwords  
and account numbers are a bigger threat. Where a corrupted hard drive  
may be evident, the theft of personal information may go undetected.

So, I can understand running AV software, or not running it (on a  
Mac). Everyone just needs to make sure they make an informed decision.

-Mike