[X4U] Re: Malware (Was: Consumer Reports)

[keith_w]

Zane H. Healy wrote:
> Randy B. Singer wrote:
> 
>>Which brings up an interesting topic.  Mac users often wonder why Apple 
>>doesn't play up the "no viruses" angle in its advertising.  Some folks 
>>speculate that it is because that might draw more attention to the Mac 
>>from virus writers.


> I'm inclined to go with this theory.  Having finished reading the thread you
> pointed me to, and seeing an article on this very subject on Slashdot just 
> after reading that thread (watch out for line wrapping)
> http://zdnet.com.au/news/security/soa/Mac_community_must_wake_up_to_security/0,2000061744,39210762,00.htm
> I'm inclined to be a bit more paranoid, obviously there have been problems
> over the past 7-8 years that I've been totally unware of.  Maybe it is time
> I invest in some anti-virus software for my Mac...

I sort of started this sub-thread, in an oblique way, and I just 
downloaded the program Randy suggested, Virus Barrier X®.
Might as well be as free from critters as I can _before_ I install a new 
version of MS Office 2004. Fence the pasture before you let the new 
horses out!

I did a scan of my H.D. first thing after installing it, and the enture 
scan took only a few minutes, so it's fast too! A good selling point.

keith

>>However, I've done some speaking recently for Apple at tech shows, and 
>>I've found that the "no viruses" angle doesn't actually motivate a lot of 
>>Windows users to want to switch.  Geeky Windows users don't really 
>>consider viruses to be a big problem.  They just keep their computers 
>>updated with the latest anti-viral software and patches and they are 
>>pretty safe.
>>
>>Unsophistocated users of Windows are afraid of viruses, but I suspect 
>>that they would be afraid of switching to a whole new computer even more.


> Things like this just amaze me, and don't doubt it in the least, especially
> after the subject of viruses came up a few weeks ago when talking to a kid
> we hired recently.  He doesn't even run anti-virus software on windows, he
> just reloads his system every couple weeks (that totally boggles my mind).
> 
> As I stated in a thread here recently, one of my primary considerations in a
> platform is security.  Data kept on a computer that is susceptable to
> viruses isn't safe.  Furthermore, I don't have time to deal with fighting
> the problem.  That's one of the main reasons I still use a Mac.  The other
> being applications availability and my investment in applications.  Of
> course I also feel Mac OS X tends to be more secure that some "secure"
> alternatives such as Linux, but that it isn't secure enough.
> 
> 		Zane