Re: OT: Update Virus Checker


"Russell D."wrote...
> Daniel-San wrote:
>> "rw" wrote in message ...
>>
>>>In general, OS X is intrinsically FAR more secure than Windows, which
>>>IMO is a massive kludge of an OS, full of dangerous flaws due to backward
>>>compatibility constraints and just plain poor design.
>>
>>
>> Truly curious here, why?
>>
> The biggest reason is simply numbers. The crackers that have no life and
> get their jollies from writing the viruses, trojans, etc. that exploit
> flaws in computer code want to do damage to as many computers as they can
> so the pick on the most common--Microsoft operating systems and
> applications.
>
> Also, by design, many other operating systems like Unix, Linux and OS X
> are less prone to damage from attacks. For example, the laptop that I am
> writing this on is running Suse Linux. Linux has two main levels of login.
> "Root" is the highest level. Only "root" can make changes to the operating
> system that can affect the way the the system runs. As long as I am not
> logged in as "root," even if I were to open some email attachment that
> contained some Linux attack it could do no damage to the operating system
> because my normal user login does not have permission to make changes. I
> hope that is at least as clear as mud.


:-) Slightly more clear than mud. Is this what Microsoft was attempting to
duplicate with XP's differing levels of access, or is it deeper than just
administrator/user?


>
>
>>
>>>There are NO known viruses to which OS X is vulnerable. One may appear
>>>some day, but it hasn't yet, and if it ever does we're sure to hear about
>>>it. OS X users don't even need anti-virus software. The record speaks for
>>>itself.
>>>
>>
>>
>> I don't remember where, but I know I read someone arguing that the reason
>> for this is two fold: one part being that there just isn't the 'market',
>> that the idiots who write these things wouldn't get whatever satisfaction
>> they do get because there would be a small population affected;
>
> True - see above.
>
>> and two, that for some reason, these idiots have some sort of twisted
>> affection/adoration for Macs, and targeting Gates' products gives then
>> some weird pleasure.
>
> I don't think many have a particular affection for Apple products, but
> many have great hatred for Bill Gates and Microsoft and for many good
> reasons.
>
> I am convinced that the two best things that Windows users can do for
> themselves to help stave off problems is to: One, stop using Internet
> Explored as a web browser and two, stop using Outlook Express as an email
> client. Those two applications just seem to be big open doors for whatever
> is out there trying to get into your computer.

Biggest problem for me (in regards to IE/OE, anyway) is inertia. I've been
using the two together for quite some time now, security issues
notwithstanding.


>
> It is very difficult to completely remove Internet Explorer from your
> computer and you probably don't want to anyway. I keep it around because
> once in awhile you will run into a web site that will only work correctly
> in IE. I always try to send the web master of such site a friendly note
> that I won't be back if I can't open his site in Firefox.
>
> Just my $.02 worth,
>
> Russell

Thanks for the info...

Dan


.

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