Re: A cheapo Acer laptop matches Macbook Pro in benchmarks!

In article <C0865F07.4DD14%SNIT@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
Snit <SNIT@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

"Josh McKee" <jtmckee@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> stated in post
jtmckee-567038.13313509052006@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx on 5/9/06 12:31 PM:

If you have some special situation where these are not applicable then so
be it.

Nothing special. Just general day to day computer usage like almost
everyone else.

In general XP usage malware is a huge concern and users do have to take
special measures to protect against it.

I don't. And I don't have experience no malware on my systems.

While OS X users should use care, the level of risk is much, much smaller
with OS X. We can debate the reasons but the fact of that is pretty clear.

I agree. OS X is at less risk. That doesn't mean that one should
arbitrarily increase costs on Windows when there are simple
configuration changes one can make to dramatically reduce the risk of
infection by malware.

For the strong, strong majority of Windows users it is true there is a
significant risk. I would love to know what your specific situation is
that
allows you to not have the risk most XP users have.

Use a firewall and run with user level privileges unless I need to
perform administrative tasks.

Not all software works as a non-admin, and you are still at a greater risk
than on a Mac.

That's true...but a significant portion of it can be made to run with
some minor file and registry permission modifications (essentially
allowing users to write to the applications installation folder as well
as the applications registry keys in HKLM).

Oh...one thing I should mention: For > 90% of the users out there the
software they use will run just fine without such modifications.

In a managed environment, which is where the majority of studies have
been undertaken, this shouldn't be an issue. I provide consulting to two
small businesses and their systems have been up and running malware free
for years.

What anti-malware methods did you use?

Use a firewall and run with user level privileges unless I need to
perform administrative tasks.

Then you are at risk.

I am. As are you. We're always going to be at risk. The question is: How
much? I've been using Windows since NT 3.51 and I have yet to get a
single piece of malware. This despite going out and searching for it.

Do you run any anti-virus and anti-malware software? If not how do you know
you do not have malware?

I do not run any anti-malware software. I know my systems so I know
what's running on them. But I would be happy to set up a Windows XP
system for you to remotely connect to, browse whatever sites you wish,
and then install anti-malware software so that you can confirm what I
already know.

That's not a schedule.

With Windows users this became so often MS went to the schedule they did.
Apple has not had to do this yet, though they may some day.

They should.

In your opinion. I do not see where it would be much benefit, if any, and
it would delay updates.

It allows people to know when updates will be released so that they can
plan accordingly.

No. We are discussing the need to reboot the OS. There is a difference.

That's right. But you went off on a tangent talking about the importance
of updates.

That is not a tangent: the greater need to run updates is one reason why XP
needs to be rebooted more often.

I reboot my server system approximately once a month: Due to the monthly
patch cycle Microsoft follows. As a matter of fact I rebooted both
systems today for this very reason. I expect that I won't reboot the
server system until next month (I occasionally shutdown the laptop when
it's not in use). I don't see this need to reboot that you speak of.

In my experience needing to reboot Windows is a non-issue these days. I
can't recall the last time that I had to reboot Windows aside from the
occasional reboot due to software installation.

I see more than that, but it is rare. I personally would not think that
rebooting is that big of a deal on either platform.

It's not. But Mac people keep brining it up as a weakness of Windows.
It's just not the problem it once was.

Perhaps the expert opinions are biased too? However since we haven't
addressed a specific opinion all that is is speculation. Do you have a
particular expert opinion that you'd like me to review?

I must say, I find it bizarre to even consider that darn near all expert
opinions and all studies would not only be biased but be biased in the
same way. Do you have any reason to believe this is so?

Without something specific I cannot provide an answer. Is there a
specific expert opinion you'd like me to look at?

I have pointed you to several: in each case you conclude not only that they
have a bias but that they have the same bias. Seems odd.

Do you have one now?

Josh
.

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