I have used Macs continuously since they were invented -- 1984. The only virus I have ever encountered is one that I installed myself in order to test some Symantec virus-detection software. This was the old WDEF virus in System 8 (as I recall). I asked my colleague, Dr. Peter Neumann at SRI about Mac viruses. Peter is a noted computer security expert. I asked him, "Why is it that PCs get viruses all the time and Macs very rarely? Is it that the hackers are not interested in the 5% market, or is there something special about the Mac OS that makes it more difficult?"
In Peter's opinion, it was some of both. It is easier to be mad at Gates and Microsoft. Who's mad at Jobs and Apple?
Mac OS X is built on UNIX. UNIX was developed by Bell Labs many years ago as an operating system for multiple-user machines -- typically what were called "minicomputers" to distinguish them from "mainframes" -- the really big machines.
The claim to fame of UNIX, and one of it's design principles, was to allow a user to have easy and reliable access to his own information, while making it impossible for a user to access some other user's data. That philosophy still holds true and protects the Mac from hacker invasion.
As I understand it now, the biggest virus threat to Macs comes from running Microsoft applications!
The patent in question was issued in 1991, which means it will expire in 1998 -- not much time left. I suspect Toyota will, if they believe that their technology infringes, pay some license fee for the remaining two years.
BTW, I am a Prius driver. I took delivery on my '05 in January, '05. I have now had the car for a year. Here are the vital statistics:
Miles: 20,214.6 Gallons: 404.109 MPG: 50.023
Average price per gallon of fuel: $2.549 (low = $1.799; high = $3.159)
Estimated 70% highway; 30% city driving.
Two trips San Francisco to the Sierra (10,000 ft. elevation) One round trip San Francisco to the Grand Canyon (via Sequoia National Park - 9,000 ft elevation) Four trips San Francisco to Pasadena (900 miles round trip.)
Oil change, lube, oil filter, tire rotation, etc. at 5, 10, 15, and 20,000 miles.
Microsoft has once again confirmed what 'Wired' wrote about ten years ago: "The story of the computer industry is the story of company attempts to catch up with Apple."
earle
*
Woody Allen said:
"In the beginning, there was nothing.
And God said, "Let there be light."
And there was light.
There was still nothing, but you could see it a lot better."
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I loved RPN! Still do. I love the push-down stack. Hell, I even loved FORTH!
I have used Macs continuously since they were invented -- 1984. The only virus I have ever encountered is one that I installed myself in order to test some Symantec virus-detection software. This was the old WDEF virus in System 8 (as I recall). I asked my colleague, Dr. Peter Neumann at SRI about Mac viruses. Peter is a noted computer security expert. I asked him, "Why is it that PCs get viruses all the time and Macs very rarely? Is it that the hackers are not interested in the 5% market, or is there something special about the Mac OS that makes it more difficult?"
In Peter's opinion, it was some of both. It is easier to be mad at Gates and Microsoft. Who's mad at Jobs and Apple?
Mac OS X is built on UNIX. UNIX was developed by Bell Labs many years ago as an operating system for multiple-user machines -- typically what were called "minicomputers" to distinguish them from "mainframes" -- the really big machines.
The claim to fame of UNIX, and one of it's design principles, was to allow a user to have easy and reliable access to his own information, while making it impossible for a user to access some other user's data. That philosophy still holds true and protects the Mac from hacker invasion.
As I understand it now, the biggest virus threat to Macs comes from running Microsoft applications!
earle
*
The patent in question was issued in 1991, which means it will expire in 1998 -- not much time left. I suspect Toyota will, if they believe that their technology infringes, pay some license fee for the remaining two years.
BTW, I am a Prius driver. I took delivery on my '05 in January, '05. I have now had the car
for a year. Here are the vital statistics:
Miles: 20,214.6
Gallons: 404.109
MPG: 50.023
Average price per gallon of fuel: $2.549 (low = $1.799; high = $3.159)
Estimated 70% highway; 30% city driving.
Two trips San Francisco to the Sierra (10,000 ft. elevation)
One round trip San Francisco to the Grand Canyon (via Sequoia
National Park - 9,000 ft elevation)
Four trips San Francisco to Pasadena (900 miles round trip.)
Oil change, lube, oil filter, tire rotation, etc. at 5, 10, 15, and
20,000 miles.
Tire pressures: 42 front, 40 rear.
earle
*
Microsoft has once again confirmed what 'Wired' wrote about ten years ago: "The story of the computer industry is the story of company attempts to catch up with Apple." earle *
Sorry -- I guess I need an explanation. Thanks, earle
(x^y)-((x^x)/y)*C(#78b) is not an equation, is it? earle *
Woody Allen said: "In the beginning, there was nothing. And God said, "Let there be light." And there was light. There was still nothing, but you could see it a lot better."
Augustus deMorgan told us:
log(-1) / sqrt (-1) = C / D
where C and D are the circumference and diameter of a circle.
Both terms on the left side are imaginary; both on the right side are real!
earle
*