Al Fasolt, writing for the Syracuse (New York) Post-Standard, tells why he switched from Windows to Mac OS X:
“Ever since I revealed that I’m a ‘switcher’ – someone so fed up with Windows that I switched to an Apple Macintosh – I’ve had to create a separate folder in my e-mail program to hold all the comments I’ve been getting from readers and friends.
Most of them have congratulated me, but many others said they were afraid I’ve abandoned them. I’d never do that. I’m just telling it like it is.
I’m telling you you’re not stuck with Microsoft Windows. There’s a new kind of computer out there. It’s easy to use and extremely powerful. It’s ideal for the normal tasks you and I do with PCs: Web browsing, e-mail, image viewing, music listening and word processing. It’s superb at such things as video editing and DVD creation, too.
This extraordinary new computer represents the rebirth of Apple’s Macintosh, running a Unix operating system called OS X. It scoffs at Windows computer viruses and worms. When you switch to an Apple Macintosh, you no longer care whether your sister-in-law sends computer viruses to you every day. Your Windows virus worries are over.”
Full article here.
Great article! It’s nice to see this kind of coverage for the Mac.
Mr. Fasolt’s comments regarding mac not getting a virus are right on the money. After 17 years on the internet, and as many years on Macs, I’ve yet to get a virus attack. I’ve always made purchases over the web as well, with no adverse effects. I’m an OS X user, and love the ease and interface…it has piqued my interest in programming (again) as well with the advent of Linux, X11, the new free Applescript Studio, as well as the cool tools built into the OS. (the terminal, console, and other gadgets for networking are all great) All in all, it’s a stable and educational OS, and Apple has reason to be proud of it’s accomplishments for both Mac and Windows users!
I dont get it. I have used my computers daily on the internet for years. As far as I know, I do the same things that others do while online.
Although, I hear tons of stuff about viruses and spam. Those things just arent effecting me. I have never had to deal with and I do not worry about viruses. I have no experience with them and I simply dont care about them. I use Hotmail and I turned on the Spam filter; I dont recieve any spam.
I dont need a Mac to be free of viruses and spam. I dont need to “think differant.” I am “not thinking” and it has been working just fine against viruses and spam.
There is at least one factual error in Mr. Fasolt’s �Cut the Mac some slack� article, in which he assert that Microsoft does nothing to protect Windows users against viruses. I would direct him to the option in Outlook Express for Windows that says �Do not allow attachments to be saved or opened that could potentially be a virus.� That is clearly a form of virus protection offered by Microsoft; therefore I’d say he is provably wrong.
Notice I am *not* alleging that Microsoft is providing comprehensive (or even effective) protection. I am only citing evidence that his statement, claiming that the company is doing �nothing� is, in fact, provably wrong.
Besides, his whole premise is flawed. There’s nothing in the Mac OS that protects against viruses, either, at least without paying US$99 for the .Mac service. Security through obscurity is not a feature worth touting. Yes, it’s great that the Mac has fewer viruses. But false complacency, bred by reading false and misleading information, is not the road to a secure system.
I consider the loss of credibility to be a journalist’s greatest failure.