Slashdot Mirror
Mac Install-Base Shown to Be 16%
Kelly McNeill writes "MacDailyNews has an editorial which summarizes reports from various research groups that analyzed the number of computer users affected by viruses. The conclusion was that 16 percent of all computer users are not affected by viruses because they use Macs. The lack of viruses on a Mac is commonly known, but the interesting thing is the fact that the results finally provide the first set of conclusive numbers which illustrate the Macintosh's install-base. So far only "market-share" statistics are commonly published for the public and do not convey install base. (If for example 2 people are using computers and one replaces his 2x in a 3 year period and the other only does once, market-share dynamics dictate that one demographic has 75% market share while the other has only 25% -- even though install base is still 50/50.)"
In the WinTel world, could you do this? Or maybe you should ask, 'Do I really want all of that paranoia to go away? Do I really want to spend more time enjoying whatever the hell I do on my 'puter, or maybe I should continue wasting hours every week on security crap that shouldn't be a problem in the first place? Hey. It's just a question.
How is this Winn Schwartau guy a security expert? I have no idea what he's doing, but I barely worry about security on my Windows machine. I probably spend a few minutes at the most each month checking my security with one or two programs.
The key to avoiding viruses and spyware is intelligence. You have to be intelligent enough to realize that you shouldn't use Internet Explorer. Switch to Firefox. That's it. Firefox does an excellent job of protecting the user. Everything you do after that is optional. Once you use Firefox to browse the Internet, you can reasonably expect, provided you don't click every suspicious link to see on Google, no viruses on your machine -- which is coincidentally the number of viruses I have experienced in the last two years.
Can I be called a security expert now?
If you're reading this, stop it.
Don't bother. For these guys, the only good software is free software.
The owls are not what they seem
My desktop doesn't have any[virii/malware] that I know of, it is running Windows.
That you know of? Exactly.
The worst ones are the ones you *don't* know of; your statement *could* mean that you are incompetent and/or that your spyware-detection software is poor.
"Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
You are what is known as a "statistical outlier".
Just be aware that you are the rare exception, not the norm. The statistical facts however indicate that you are full of __it.
You suggest that people get infected by viruses because they're stupid, this is not the case, most virus infections are not the user's fault. Whether you are infected by a virus or not has almost everything to do with your OS.
1) There are people who respond to this article who keep referring to a Blue Screen Of Death. I haven't seen one of these in about 5 years. This either means that a) the people referring to the BSOD because it's a much talked about windows occurance that was a feature on an OS that is at least 6-7 years old and don't realize that it just doesn't happen on the newer OS's becuase they are a) lying mac fanbois or b) they are using really old windows software and are stupid.
2) People are assuming that since a seemingly impartial source is pulling a number out of their ass, it must be accurate.
3) People actually think that the MAC is impervious to virii and malware. Anyone ever take a root kit and run it on the mac? Works quite nicely. I've never seen a virus for the PC as powerful as a r00tkit for *nix. Someone with a little programming experience and the ability to execute a script can write a virus for the mac. Quite easily. Mac folks, you day is coming. Enjoy it while it lasts.
4) People don't seem to understand that Windows is no Mac is no Linux. They are not interchangable. I have a Mac and I have a Windows Box. I love OSX. I love the look and the feel. What I don't love is the amazing lack of software to do anything that interest me that I Can't already do on an XP box. Outside of Photoshop and Final Cut, the 64 Bit Opteron beats the crap out of the G5 hands down for abou half the price. I'm still looking for a FREE Ftp program for my MAC other than the command line. WTF people?
5) I appreciate that people are idealistic and are willing to make decisions based on some screwy ideal they have about what they think makes a better world, OS, et al. But being idealistic doesn't mean that you are automatically right and in a better place morally. In most cases, you are just a simple minded ecentric that people don't understand and therefore are given the street cred that you are "edgy", "cutting edge" and "visionary". It's one reason most folks group MAC users in with the Vegans, Goths, and Envrio-freaks. Face it, you're just a little wacky and think you can actually change the world with a rhyme and a different point of view. You can't. Just deal with it.
Karma means nothing to me, so suck it...
My first reaction when I listen someone claiming that he doesn't have viruses on his Windows computer it to doubt it. Not related to reputation or competence* (even because you are an AC), but I doubt you, and I am not alone. It is so common to Windows computers being infected by invisible malware that you should specify exacly how do you look for them if you whant most of the people here belive you.
*It is possible that some people very competent on this specific area know that their computers are free of malware, but most of them would say that their PC have no malware they know about. Most of the people that state that theyir Windows PC have no malware just didn't look far enogh.
Rethinking email
As you say, those numbers are based on your site, linked by a sig that says, my game collection.
Of course mac people people aren't going to click on it... they know that it will have nothing to do with them -- mac users can't play games. They have macs!