install microsoft updates??

[joshandjulius]

I bought a mac to avoid all the problems and viruses that come with a
PC. I use word, excell, powerpoint. I don't use explorer or entourage
on my mac.

Should I still update my mac when I am prompted by microsoft?

Microsoft says that the update will protect my computer from viruses,
but i don't use the internet via a microsoft or windows application.

any thoughts?

 

[Randall Ainsworth]

It is probably easier to break into an Apple OS X computer than it is to
break into a Windows Vista computer. Nobody knows for sure: each of them
contains millions of lines of computer code -- all written "at the lowest
possible cost" or by "the cheapest outside contractor".
Bullshit!

It is true that various people have made a science of cracking Windows
computers for the past 30 years. Historically, they have not bothered
hacking Macs because there were not enough of them to be profitable. Macs
used to be maybe one or two per cent of the computers in use. That is now
climbing rapidly towards ten per cent.

More bullshit!

These people are making money, not mischief. These people have all the
resources of organised crime and terrorist organisations behind them. At
what point do you suppose the bad guys will figure it is worth their while
to make exploits to crack Macs? Ten per cent? Twelve? Fifteen? That's a
guess, right?

It has nothing to do with market share. It has everything to do with
how the OS is designed.

On this Mac, I run a hardware firewall, a software firewall, an antivirus
solution (two of them: one for Windows, one for Mac), an anti-spyware
solution, and an anti-spam solution. All-up cost? Maybe 200 bucks. Worth
it, to me -- so I sleep soundly at night

What useful purpose does that Mac anti-virus software serve? There are
*NO* OS X viruses/spyware.

 

[litttle.creature.inc]

Hello Randall,
I guess that's not your day today. It's very easy to say these words
you did, rather than spend hours of your life to help people for
pleasure like John and the other here do.

There are *NO* OS X viruses/spyware.
Oh yes, there are, they are seldom, but there are. Because windows are
more spread, that's why they are more often targeted than the Mac. But
I would not put my money on try which of these OS would be hacked more
easily. I do not know OS to these level.

It is not important so much whether you use internet, if you have
shared folders and the computer is connected to network (even Local)
some viruses will look for such folders and will copy themselves
there. The another thing is waht they can do on Mac OS, It is likely
that Mac OS will not understand and therefore nothing may happen to
Mac, but the virus will spread itself forward.

The another reason for update is there might be further improvement
for User. For Example - on PC if you did not update office 2003, some
powepoint files could not have been opened, but as soon as you update
the file could be open.

These people are making money, not mischief. These people have all the
resources of organised crime and terrorist organisations behind them. At
what point do you suppose the bad guys will figure it is worth their while
to make exploits to crack Macs? Ten per cent? Twelve? Fifteen? That's a
guess, right?

Maybe, you cannot see it or you do not want, but Russian in the past,
would very like let people die rather than revealing the true about
nuclear weapons. Do have idea how things do work in ex-Soviet Union
states?

Come on, if you have any more experinces you can share and help other,
you are very welcome to join us. You can tell us your experinces about
how secure both platforms are, we would like to listen. But I will not
stand anybody abuse my friends! You will have to fight with me

 

[Randall Ainsworth]

There are *NO* OS X viruses/spyware.
Oh yes, there are, they are seldom, but there are. Because windows are
more spread, that's why they are more often targeted than the Mac. But
I would not put my money on try which of these OS would be hacked more
easily. I do not know OS to these level.

There are no OS X viruses or spyware...period...NONE...ZERO...NADA.

And it has nothing to do with market share. It has everything to do
with how the OS is designed. With OS X, the default user is not an
admin with root access.

 

[CyberTaz]

There are no OS X viruses or spyware...period...NONE...ZERO...NADA.

And it has nothing to do with market share. It has everything to do
with how the OS is designed. With OS X, the default user is not an
admin with root access.

Perhaps not as prevalent as some may think - maybe not even a major concern
- but the vulnerabilities are there. There are numerous reputable sources of
of information contrary to the emphatic denial you espouse. I don't intend
to try & change such a mindset, but perhaps a little research might help
temper it a little & provide food for thought:

http://antivirus.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ/Ya&sdn=antivirus&c
dn=compute&tm=94&f=20&su=p284.8.150.ip_&tt=14&bt=0&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.vir
uslist.com/eng/viruslistfind.asp%3FfindWhere%3D001%26findTxt%3Dmacintosh

http://antivirus.about.com/od/macintoshresource/a/inqtanaa.htm

http://antivirus.about.com/od/macintoshresource/p/oompa.htm

All offered with the best of intentions, I assure you, but I must say that
if Noah had been of such blindly rigid conviction that it "ain't gonna rain"
none of us would be here to have this discussion


Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Randall Ainsworth]

Perhaps not as prevalent as some may think - maybe not even a major concern
- but the vulnerabilities are there. There are numerous reputable sources of
of information contrary to the emphatic denial you espouse. I don't intend
to try & change such a mindset, but perhaps a little research might help
temper it a little & provide food for thought:

Name just one OS X virus or piece of spyware in the wild. Possibilities
that exist on paper or in the laboratory don't count. Name one virus or
piece of spyware for OS X that has existed in the wild since OS X was
introduced in 2001.

HINT: You can't because there are none. I can't count high enough to
count all of the Windows viruses and spyware.

 

[CyberTaz]

HINT: If you'd bothered to check out either of the links you wouldn't have
to ask the question, but that's why I wrote that I wasn't trying to change
your mind. It's certainly your prerogative to believe whatever you wish.

Good Luck |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[John McGhie]

Hey Randall:

We would be happy to engage you in this discussion, but first you would need
to learn the basics of the subject.

See yaaaa...

There are no OS X viruses or spyware...period...NONE...ZERO...NADA.

And it has nothing to do with market share. It has everything to do
with how the OS is designed. With OS X, the default user is not an
admin with root access.

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
http://jgmcghie.fastmail.com.au/
Sydney, Australia. S33°53'34.20 E151°14'54.50
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

 

[CyberTaz]

<snip>

I'm more or less with Randall on this one.

<snip>

Hello Elliott -

Please know that I do not in any way question or challenge your knowledge or
expertise. In fact, I fully agree with each of the points you make... Even
though I don't have anywhere near the same technical background.

By the same token, the fact that you saw fit to qualify your support of
Randall's adamant position reinforces what I - perhaps not as eloquently as
I would have preferred - was trying to say Simply put, the fact that it
*hasn't* happened - even combined with complexity of *making* it happen -
doesn't make it axiomatic that it *can't* happen. I just don't think users
should be discouraged from taking an *appropriate* measure of precaution.

BTW - Sorry about the broken link. It is valid, but the wrapping trashed it
- should have tiny url'd it or some-such, but I didn't take the time to do
so as I was in a rush to get to my daughter's wedding.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Randall Ainsworth]

Hey Randall:

We would be happy to engage you in this discussion, but first you would need
to learn the basics of the subject.

I just get real tired of Windows idiots claiming that the Mac is
virus-free because of low market share. Then they bring up obscure
white papers and lab experiments which "prove" that OS X is not secure.
Well, maybe some day someone will be able to hack it. But until that
time, there is no need to waste clock cycles on AV software.

 

[William Smith]

I just get real tired of Windows idiots claiming that the Mac is
virus-free because of low market share. Then they bring up obscure
white papers and lab experiments which "prove" that OS X is not secure.
Well, maybe some day someone will be able to hack it. But until that
time, there is no need to waste clock cycles on AV software.

I heartily agree with your assessment about the "market share" argument.
Mac OS X is flat out more secure than Windows.

But I respectfully disagree with your opinion about not running AV. In
real life putting on a condom after you get a venereal disease is too
late. One of the top arguments against wearing condoms is complacency --
"it won't happen to me."

bill

 

[Elliott Roper]

I heartily agree with your assessment about the "market share" argument.
Mac OS X is flat out more secure than Windows.

But I respectfully disagree with your opinion about not running AV. In
real life putting on a condom after you get a venereal disease is too
late. One of the top arguments against wearing condoms is complacency --
"it won't happen to me."

At the risk of flogging a dead horse, I can't see any point in running
AV on a Mac other than for the purpose of removing Windows viruses from
received documents before passing them on to your less fortunate cow
orkers.

AV's mostly work by looking for 'signatures' of already known malware.
If there ain't any such malware, they can't possibly have a signature.

AV on Mac is pure undiluted snake oil until the first virus appears in
the wild. In the recent past, AV products such as Norton, have been
more dangerous to one's system than the threat they are supposed to
protect you against.

 

[Diane Ross]

AV on Mac is pure undiluted snake oil until the first virus appears in
the wild. In the recent past, AV products such as Norton, have been
more dangerous to one's system than the threat they are supposed to
protect you against.

They have been known to cause your Microsoft User Data folder to go missing.
Talk about heart stopping.... Some versions identify a virus within the
database and puts your database into quarantine. You will need to read the
directions on how to release.

Check any AV products you are running and, if necessary, exclude the
Microsoft User Data folder from their scans.

ClamXav has an option to move infected files to trash . Be sure to uncheck
this.

Note this does not mean it¹s a Mac virus. It¹s just a virus that¹s attached
to a message.
--
Diane Ross, Microsoft Mac MVP
Entourage Help Page
<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/>
One of the top five MS Entourage resources listed on the Entourage Blog.
<http://blogs.msdn.com/entourage/>