Showing messages 1 through 2 of 2.

• Nothing to worry about, 'cause we've never seen it
  2005-03-23 09:50:01  mwalker [Reply | View]
  
  
  On the plus side, he does claim existing Mac users are smarter and more technically savvy than Windows users as it stands:
  
  '"The market penetration of Macintosh platforms will be accelerated by the much lower-priced Mac mini, which may be purchased by less security-savvy users," the report said. "As a result, the number of vulnerabilities can be expected to increase, as will malicious activity that targets them."'
  
  Okay, I'm being a little facetious here, but I still gotta wonder. "Less security-savvy users?" Less than the grade-schoolers who use them, for example?
  
  If Symantec is right, and the Mac Mini does eat up the market share of the PC manufacturers, maybe doubling the Mac marketshare, how many viruses do you think should we expect to see? 1? 2? 0.5?
  
  Under OS 9, which was much more likely to be infected, the major anti-virus program, the one EVERYONE ran, was freeware. Maintained by one guy somewhere. Back then, the Mac had so few viruses that a freeware program took care of them all. And there's never even been one for Mac OS X that I've ever heard of.
  
  Don't come to me with tales of future problems. When an actual virus hits, we'll deal with it. Until then, Symantec and all the other FUDdie-duddies can just shut up.

• John Gruber's demolition of a similar argument
  2005-03-23 08:23:36  dscotson [Reply | View]
  
  
  Why did you dismiss Gruber's argument as partisan and then repeat it almost word for word with a slightly snide tone?
  
  Try answering this question with, as they say in cheesy courtroom dramas, just 'yes' or 'no':
  
  Mac users don't ever have to worry about their platform *ever* suffering as many viruses and attacks as Windows. Do you agree? (remember, one word, yes or no)