Columnist Bill Husted thinks Macs are better than Windows when it comes to viruses and worms, but he doesn’t seem to understand why.
“The Macintosh leaves the PC in the dust. Part of the reason is the operating system. But the biggest factor is that most viruses and worms target the largest group of machines: the PCs. Remember what Willie Sutton said when asked why he robbed banks? ‘That’s where the money is.’ It’s the same here. Creators of worms or viruses go after the biggest target. A virus is a tiny computer program. As is true of commercial programs, software intended for the PC won’t run on the Mac. Macs usually get a free pass. Is it possible for a Mac to become infected with a worm or virus? Yes. Is it likely? No. The PC gets a D-minus, the Mac gets an A,” Bill Husted writes for The Palm Beach Post in his weak Mac vs. PC article where he cops out by giving both a “B” letter grade.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Bill Husted also writes for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. His email address is bhusted@ajc.com. We sent him a copy of this article, along with links proving he’s spreading a myth. Mac OS X is simply more secure than Windows XP – it has very little to do with the size of the target and most everything to do with OS design. As The New York Times reported back in September:
Mac OS X and Linux are much more secure than Windows XP. For example:
– Windows comes with five of its ports open; Mac OS X comes with all of them shut and locked… These ports are precisely what permitted viruses like Blaster to infiltrate millions of PCs. Microsoft says that it won
And Willy Sutton didn’t say “That’s where the money is” either.
Before I hooked my Mac to the web I made sure that every inherent security feature was on and good to go. Most Windoze users are apparently too lazy or too stupid to do the same on their machines.
Tell us something we don’t know.
I am slowly being convinced that a significant percentage of Windows columnists are some of the worst researchers, poorest investigators, incredibly biased, and willfully ignorant people on planet earth.
The trouble is, we no longer have “Journalists”. We have reporters and writers.
“Journalists” investigate and research their topic. Reporters/writers just regurgitate with a spin.
There’s no mandatory “do this and don’t do that or you’ll likely get burned” requirement to installing and using computers. Production and consumption are higher priority than education and learning. The masses are generally naive and blinded by an irresponsibly spoiled consumer mentality when it comes to technology.
Right, George. Unfortunately there seems to be more encouragement of spin-writers/reporters than support for high-quality/integrity journalism.
“I am slowly being convinced that a significant percentage of Windows columnists are some of the worst researchers, poorest investigators, incredibly biased, and willfully ignorant people on planet earth.”
Well they ARE Windows users. We have to face it, the vast majority of people on this planet are stupid, lazy and cheap. And being that PC makers like Dell live and breath cheap, those types of people are going to be the majority of Computer users.
smucker sez: “Most Windoze users are apparently too lazy or too stupid to do the same on their machines”
Even if true, it would beat being an insecure asshole like you. A mac user who wears an internet condom…….gawd!
LOL just realised that smucker is BEG. If the people (mac users) who run this site could figure out how to register and password users all this multipersona stuff would end. Doesn’t bother me, since I am smart enough to a)recognise the 15 year old jerkoffs who regularly post here and b) NEVER click on any of the header and margin stuff that provides income.
Joe Mc,
Are you upset with the comments, the article, of the fact that Mac OS X is simply much more secure than Windows XP by design and not through “obscurity?” Just checking.
Of course, I assume you are afflected with S. S. and/or C. D.
My sympathies.
Inherent……that is a great point, and you have that over smucker. “Close” makes you ALMOST an insecure asshole, beg,…….livin’ large ain’t ya?
Gosh, Fred, I am not close to being upset. I perhaps have been too circumspect in my point this evening, which is smucker’s indictment of “most windows users” (which of course means most people) being “too stupid or lazy” to do simple tasks. That is a common opinion, shared by many here I suppose, but of course it isn’t true. Otherwise the truely stupid would be the cognoscenti, like you perhaps, who suffer to share the highways with them.
I am familiar with the article you reference, and I have always thought it was a low point in Steve Jack’s otherwise mediocre portfolio, for the same reason smucker’s opinion makes no sense. You defending them………well I know you are not wonky, but don’t let your kneejerk hit your outthrust chin.
I personally feel that Macs being a smaller percentage of the market does inherently make them a smaller target. That said and allowed for it should still be OBVIOUS to anybody that the Mac is more secure because there are ZERO viruses. Even if they are a smaller percentage of the market there should be at least a few measly viruses out there if security was only due to obscurity. The fact is that the Mac is much harder to crack. The snot nosed amateurs out there writing PC viruses have a snowballs chance in hell of writing a successful Mac virus. As for the more talented potential virus writers, well, you would have to use and really get to know the Mac well to write a sucessful virus, and we all know what usually happens when you start using a mac, you fall in love with it, and so the motivation to write a virus would be eliminated.
This guy should have pointed out the inhernent greater security of the Mac rather than perpetuating the easy-out PC explanation of security through obscurity. PCs are SWISS CHEESE when it comes to security. They are now estimating that MSBlaster virus infected Millions of Pee Seas (low estimate 8 million, high estimate 16 million).
Don’t think that I have to apologize for being noninfected and using common sense. In fact, I would say I am more “secure” than a PeeCee owner because I don’t have to “worry” about the next scourge of worms and viruses. It seems obvious that PeeCee owners have problems because of operator error as much as poor OS design.
Too bad if that bothers you, Joe. If you can’t wait for the new and improved Longhorn you can always buy a Mac today, ya know.
Actually, Joe, I rather liked SteveJack’s “Stockholm Syndrome” article. And it seems to be quite a famous article throughout the Mac Web, too – I see it referenced far and wide. I suppose I and other Mac users like it because most Mac users have run up against close-minded Windows users who are afraid to leave Microsoft’s teat, even though their computing lives would be much richer with Mac OS X. SteveJack’s article explains why Wintel drones act the way they do. Kind of like you, Joe. IMHO, sorry.
Sorry Fred I ignored your first point re: security. No doubt you have missed my posts lauding osX. It is good that you don’t read every post here anyway. OsX is very secure, and it doesn’t matter a whit, since nearly every pc working yesterday is working today, and those that are broken are replaced cheaply. It’s not a BMW I am typing on, but then, as I always say, I can’t park it in the driveway or pick up chicks with it so who cares?
Joe,
If you really do not use a Mac and are stuck with a Windows PC, I pity you. I really do. I hope you find what I’ve found with Mac OS X someday.
Joe, well close, but no I’m not some alternate persona of smuckers.
I can prove it because I don’t bother to change any “inherent security settings” because… well aren’t the settings all secure by default?
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Joe is not upset. He always cusses like that that because he never graduated from high school and he never learned good english. Besides this a free country and even people without a wit of sense and good grammar can say what ever they like.
(It’s OK, Joey. Momma gonna take good care of you.)
Del, it won’t wash. Obviously most, nearly all, windows users are getting an “acceptable” experience, not getting raped by a bank robber.
I think that the true test of cultism (and that isn’t all bad, there are nice non-koolaid cults) is that historical episodes can be so easily bent to suit the group’s needs.
It is nice that Steve Jack did some research for that article (sets it apart from most of his work), but the basic arguement reads more like a lesbian manifesto than a logical conclusion….”my way is better than his way”, every minute you spent emailing, computing, wping, gaming, you didn’t enjoy, REALLY. Do it my way and find out. It’s laughable…..LAFFABLE.
Wow Joe Mc. In reference to your comment b) below:
“Doesn’t bother me, since I am smart enough to a)recognise the 15 year old jerkoffs who regularly post here and b) NEVER click on any of the header and margin stuff that provides income.”
This is something that you are PROUD of? Wow again. You come to this site, read it regulary, post on it, so obviously you get some enjoyment out of it. And you are then proud that you make sure that you do not do anything in return. Not even something that doesn’t cost you anything personally except maybe fifteen seconds of time which you obviously have to spare.
I can’t believe that doesn’t make you feel small and stingy. But I do appreciate your being here. You have made me realize that I have not clicked on some of the ads etc nearly as much as I should have. I will change that. Your bad example is helping me to be a better person. So thanks.
Thanks Mike and Mom, I needed that. Off to play online poker. Can you guys do that? Pity if not because it is PIGEON CITY hereabouts.
Jack, I am sure I am doing my part by being a lightning rod for responses by the group here. Seriously, if Steve Jack needed posts, could he have conjoured up a better magnet than myself? Night all.
Yep Joe, it’s a tough job being the asshole but somebody’s gotta do it.
Just keep telling yourself that.