BBC Writer Responds To Mac Security Critiques

minimunchkin writes "BBC Correspondent Bill Thompson responds to the flaming he received for an article on the vulnerabilities in Mac security. He knows that there are no Mac OS X viruses in the wild, and he doesn't believe there ever will be." From the article: "However the wider point, that there are exploitable vulnerabilities and sometimes Apple puts them there, remains. Even if I'm careful to apply updates when they are made available, some people might not and their systems could be compromised. And there is always a gap between the discovery of an issue and an available fix, a gap which could be exploited. "

Comments

The Rules

[gbulmash]

To the old rule that one should never argue politics or religion, because there is no way to win, I believe we must add operating systems as a third thing one should never argue.

Add to that the following statement (my own): "Being a Microsoft proponent in an argument about operating systems is like being a white male in a discussion on discrimination."

- Greg

Re:The Rules

[Savage-Rabbit]

"Being a Microsoft proponent in an argument about operating systems is like being a white male in a discussion on discrimination."

Hmmmm... nice analogy but why choose such a complicated topic??? I have found that in order to trigger the unwinnable argument effect it is usually enough (assuming you are a human male) to get into a discussion with a human female as to whether the toilet seat should be left up or down. This argument is actually much more venomous than the one you cited since it tends to go on forever and can furthermore result in a permanent damage to your sex life unless you resort to subterfuge and allow the female to believe she won.

Re:The Rules

[carlislematthew]

"To the old rule that one should never argue politics or religion, because there is no way to win, I believe we must add operating systems as a third thing one should never argue."

Being a Mac user is both religion *and* politics! It's religion because you believe in a supreme being (Steve Jobs), have a bunch of people that agree on a set of beliefs (e.g. one button is best) and think that other religions (Linux, Windows) are stupid and false. It's politics because you can only be on one side!

(Before you respond, please understand that I was joking) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joke

Re:The Rules

[hobbit]

"Being a Microsoft proponent in an argument about operating systems is like being a white male in a discussion on discrimination."

I used to be a white male.

My name is Jamelia Uwimana, and I'm a "switcher".

Re:The Rules

[mike77]

to get into a discussion with a human female as to whether the toilet seat should be left up or down.
I'm a male, and let me tell you, it goes DOWN!
Your argument is too simplistic, it does not take other factors into account

For instance, let us hypothesize you have a playful young cat who thinks the toilet is interesting and should be played in.

Unless you like waking up to a toilet bowl soaked cat at 2 AM when they jump on your head, the argument is already decided.

Fourth Rule

[Harmonious Botch]

Emacs vs Vi

All is forgiven

[Anonymous Coward]

We forgive you on one condition: you admit publicly that emacs is the one true editor. Then you won't have to worry about anyone flaming you ever again.

Re:All is forgiven

[Heembo]

You macro-writing emacs-installing COWARD! Behold the simplicity and power of the only true text editor for UNIX, VI. No matter what UNIX machine I log on, in the entire world, I have the power to edit text without installing software, and that matters when I am developing code and fixing code on many dozen machines that I do not even own! That makes me infinitely more powerful that you EMACS users, lower than DIRT ON A WORM.

...seem to form a paradox

[sm284614]

So you're discriminating against white males by not allowing them to discuss discrimination because they're not discriminated against? But then, because you've discriminate against them, they can discuss it, but then you haven't discriminated against them because you've....

Re:Not a "troll" at all.

[Morky]

Please mod parent down "-1 Troll".

Re:defensibility

[Freaky Spook]

Certainly there is something that most Windows users don't experience, and that is actual *enjoyment* from their OS

I get plenty of enjoyment from my Windows Experience thank you very much!

Windows has given me so much porn over the last few years i wouldn't know what to do with myself. I could be working on a stressful Powerpoint presentation for work & then all of a sudden pops up some porn, it always comes in at the right time, it makes the windows experience truley worth it.

And don't forget clippy, that helpful son of a gun, always answering all the questions I have when I get stuck.

Re:But I Only Meant All Of You

[jskiff]

And the response is: "under-paid, under-sexed, and under Ike."