The problem is that Apple has built part of their marketing scheme around the idea that Macs are immune to malware. A lot of Macheads I know - including the ones who should know better - still insist that their systems are 'entirely immune to viruses and spyware', which is just totally bunk.
This is absolutely not helped by their plugging their fingers in their ears and yelling 'la la la' about problems (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/05/20/apple_malware_attacks/) until finally admitting it a week later (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/05/25/apple_acknowledges_macdefender/). This doesn't even include exploits via third-party programs (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/05/06/skype_for_mac_critical_vulnerability/) - and that was just a casual web search for news from the last couple of months.
Macs are really easy targets, because not even their manufacturer wants to believe they could be a target.
Mac user here. I've never been under any illusion that Macs were 'totally immune' to malware. Their security is generally better, but the main thing is that there have always been fewer Macs, so fewer malicious programmers preying on them. That's changing, though: Macs are all over the place now, and so they'll be targets. Geeks can break anything they want. Anyone who uses any computer and the Internet ever needs to take precautions.
I can't imagine, though, that being advised to steam your laptop shouldn't have raised some red flags. To me, that sounds like rather a bad idea.
I use PCs and Macs and challenge your message. We've been hearing this shit "Macs are changing and going to get viruses/malware real soon now" for a decade. Please show evidence of how Macs have more malware now, or how things are changing.
I submit to you that it's a totally arbitrary belief based on no evidence whatsoever, other than probably the fact that you don't like the direction Macs are taking (if it's any consolation, I don't like the "back to the mac" OS X Lion bullshit either).
For your consideration: other people who cried wolf over the years (http://daringfireball.net/2011/05/wolf) and the security update that addresses the Macdefender Malware specifically. (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4657) Came out within days of the malware being detected. I don't remember any KB* coming out that quickly and addressing specific malware.
The security update that was useless later that same day (http://www.betanews.com/article/Apples-Mac-Defender-patch-is-already-worthless/1306953026), because instead of any sort of heuristic security it was simply a blacklist of programs? The security update that only came out after it was leaked that Apple was telling technicians to lie to customers complaining of malware (http://www.dailytech.com/Apple+Orders+Technicians+to+Feign+Ignorance+About+Mac+Malware/article21693.htm), a month after Mac Defender was so widespread as to be making the news?
Of course, you're claiming Gruber as a source for something other than blind sycophancy. Actual facts aren't really relevant, are they?
How about actually looking at the Gruber link? it's a collection of links from other sites, so whatever you may think of Gruber doesn't invalidate it.
As for Apple, I hate them for many reasons (including some that you quote, being secretive bitches, etc), but you are trying to blind yourself to the obvious truth - people have been crying wolf for years about the status of viruses on the mac, and things have not changed a bit.
Still, the uncomfortable fact remains: Macs have always been more secure than PCs (even in the pre-OSX days.) You rage because you know this to be true, young padawan - at the moment I'm not running any anti-virus software at all in any on my Macs - completely different situation on my Windows.
But you know what? I am not a hipster, nor do I feel cool or holier-than-thou. I just chose Macs to program iPhone apps for money, and ended up using it quite a bit. I think 95% of your rage is directed towards douchebags with Macs - I'm hardly someone like that.
Anyway, since I use all 3 OSs, I always get shit from all sides, and as a Windows user I even agree with you to a certain extent, but the fact remains you are repeating crap verbatim without looking at the evidence. Actual facts aren't really relevant, are they? Let's calculate the number of viruses per user in Windows and Mac - how about that? Would that make you happy? I think not.
Just like Mac OS has improvements over Windows, Windows has improvements over Mac OS - but this just isn't one of them.
Except that Mac Defender was demonstrably not crying wolf. It was and continues to be a prevalent piece of malware that was widespread that Apple told baldfaced lies (http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/an-applecare-support-rep-talks-mac-malware-is-getting-worse/3342) about it for a week before issuing a security patch to fix it. The fact that there have been false alarms in the past does not negate the fact that there has been a legitimate alarm now.
It is purely a function of market share. When Macs were hovering at 2% market share, anyone talking about widespread malware outbreaks were foolish. Now that they're climbing over 10, those who believe Apple to be immune are equally foolish.
I don't feel like doing an extensive search on Mac vs. PC sales for precise details right now. You can do it if you like. PC sales still far outnumber Mac sales, but that has to be taken in context: computer sales are far more than ever before. Anyone who lives anywhere near a university, at least in the West, will have noticed, by eyeball, that Macs are and have been increasing in popularity and number. Anecdotal, yes, but observation does count a little bit.
It's not that I dislike where Macs are going: quite to the contrary, I love my little MacBook and I'm glad to see Macs become more prevalent (and I haven't seen any of the advertising for Lion. I don't watch telly). I like that I can use my computer in public systems now that were closed to me before: I've been using Mac since single sided floppy disks, and am used to being shut out of most things, and it's delightful to have true cross-platform compatibility. I'm not a programmer, so I can't tell you exactly how any malware is written for Mac or for anything, but I assume that it is possible, and therefore judge it good practise to be cautious. Surely that isn't a bad thing? I'm not paranoid (unless Facebook is involved) but I won't consider my OS inviolate just because it's a wee bit harder to break than another.
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(no subject)
Date: 2011-06-10 01:53 am (UTC)No computer is immune - some are just easier targets than others.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-06-10 12:01 pm (UTC)This is absolutely not helped by their plugging their fingers in their ears and yelling 'la la la' about problems (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/05/20/apple_malware_attacks/) until finally admitting it a week later (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/05/25/apple_acknowledges_macdefender/). This doesn't even include exploits via third-party programs (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/05/06/skype_for_mac_critical_vulnerability/) - and that was just a casual web search for news from the last couple of months.
Macs are really easy targets, because not even their manufacturer wants to believe they could be a target.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-06-10 11:37 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-06-10 01:46 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-06-10 06:35 pm (UTC)I can't imagine, though, that being advised to steam your laptop shouldn't have raised some red flags. To me, that sounds like rather a bad idea.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-06-10 11:35 pm (UTC)I submit to you that it's a totally arbitrary belief based on no evidence whatsoever, other than probably the fact that you don't like the direction Macs are taking (if it's any consolation, I don't like the "back to the mac" OS X Lion bullshit either).
For your consideration: other people who cried wolf over the years (http://daringfireball.net/2011/05/wolf) and the security update that addresses the Macdefender Malware specifically. (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4657) Came out within days of the malware being detected. I don't remember any KB* coming out that quickly and addressing specific malware.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-06-11 12:37 am (UTC)Of course, you're claiming Gruber as a source for something other than blind sycophancy. Actual facts aren't really relevant, are they?
(no subject)
Date: 2011-06-11 01:05 am (UTC)As for Apple, I hate them for many reasons (including some that you quote, being secretive bitches, etc), but you are trying to blind yourself to the obvious truth - people have been crying wolf for years about the status of viruses on the mac, and things have not changed a bit.
Still, the uncomfortable fact remains: Macs have always been more secure than PCs (even in the pre-OSX days.) You rage because you know this to be true, young padawan - at the moment I'm not running any anti-virus software at all in any on my Macs - completely different situation on my Windows.
But you know what? I am not a hipster, nor do I feel cool or holier-than-thou. I just chose Macs to program iPhone apps for money, and ended up using it quite a bit. I think 95% of your rage is directed towards douchebags with Macs - I'm hardly someone like that.
Anyway, since I use all 3 OSs, I always get shit from all sides, and as a Windows user I even agree with you to a certain extent, but the fact remains you are repeating crap verbatim without looking at the evidence. Actual facts aren't really relevant, are they? Let's calculate the number of viruses per user in Windows and Mac - how about that? Would that make you happy? I think not.
Just like Mac OS has improvements over Windows, Windows has improvements over Mac OS - but this just isn't one of them.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-06-12 08:21 pm (UTC)It is purely a function of market share. When Macs were hovering at 2% market share, anyone talking about widespread malware outbreaks were foolish. Now that they're climbing over 10, those who believe Apple to be immune are equally foolish.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-06-11 12:43 am (UTC)I don't feel like doing an extensive search on Mac vs. PC sales for precise details right now. You can do it if you like. PC sales still far outnumber Mac sales, but that has to be taken in context: computer sales are far more than ever before. Anyone who lives anywhere near a university, at least in the West, will have noticed, by eyeball, that Macs are and have been increasing in popularity and number. Anecdotal, yes, but observation does count a little bit.
It's not that I dislike where Macs are going: quite to the contrary, I love my little MacBook and I'm glad to see Macs become more prevalent (and I haven't seen any of the advertising for Lion. I don't watch telly). I like that I can use my computer in public systems now that were closed to me before: I've been using Mac since single sided floppy disks, and am used to being shut out of most things, and it's delightful to have true cross-platform compatibility. I'm not a programmer, so I can't tell you exactly how any malware is written for Mac or for anything, but I assume that it is possible, and therefore judge it good practise to be cautious. Surely that isn't a bad thing? I'm not paranoid (unless Facebook is involved) but I won't consider my OS inviolate just because it's a wee bit harder to break than another.