Today, the CEO of DVForge, Inc. issues the following public challenge to the CEO of Symantec Corporation.
“This challenge is to John Thompson, CEO of Symantec corporation, and is based on statements issued by his company in and in response to its Internet Security Threat Report, issued in March.” said Jack Campbell, DVForge, Inc. CEO, “The report and the several following statements issued by Symantec representatives very cleverly used vague assertions and innuendo to promote the idea that an in-the-wild, self-replicating virus that is effective against the modern Mac OS X operating system is possible, and is in fact a serious threat to Mac users. If anyone in my company made such dangerously erroneous public statements, I would fire them on the spot. Since I cannot fire anyone inside Symantec, I am specifically challenging Mr. Thompson to either produce scientifically valid evidence that such a Mac OS X virus is possible, or to publicly retract his company’s claims.”
Campbell continues, “The Mac OS X operating system is crafted and shipped from Apple with a set of security features enabled that make the infection of the machine by a network based virus, without the user overriding those features impossible. For Mr. Thompson to support his company’s claims that such a virus actually is possible is creating substantial financial damage to all companies selling products or services to Apple computer users, by wrongly spreading disinformation that lowers the overall sales of Mac systems to new users. That means his company is costing my company sales of our Apple accessory products. And, that makes me mad.”
“Mr. Thompson, I am calling on you to put up or shut up. Show the industry your evidence that such an in-the-wild OS X virus is indeed possible. Or, publicly retract your company’s previously stated position,” concludes Campbell.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: This is posted on DVForge’s press release section of their website. It is from Jack Campbell and this is April 1st, so today, more than ever, we report and, well, you know, you decide.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
DVForge cancels Mac OS X Virus Prize Contest – March 26, 2005
Mac OS X Virus Prize 2005 offers $25,000 cash prize to person who can create first Mac OS X virus – March 26, 2005
Good for Jack. I hope this story isn’t an April Fools’ joke.
It isn’t, it’s on the DVForge website too as a press release.
We report you decide. Fox News.
Whatever his past, the man has a point. BTW- How many of the definitions on Norton AV for the Macintosh affect OS X? You wouldn’t buy a DVD player if you didn’t have any DVDs to play, now would you?
I’ll take this as real. Jack Campbell is the most froth-mouthed mac zealot with a megaphone.
He may have a point, but his kind of evangelism makes people put their guard up and trun from the Mac more than open people’s eyes.
Its funny how when my Norton Anti-virus definitions subscription needs renewing Norton pops up a window saying ‘I have a trojan virus on my mac’.
More than co-incidence???
I ran my other virus programs with more upto date virus definitions than Norton and – you guessed it – they all reported that my mac was totally clean – NO VIRUS!!
Makes me wonder whether Symantec has delibrately programmed a pop-up in the app saying I have a virus when I dont – just to scare me into renewing the paid for updates to the virus definitions…
Interesting…
Regardless to say I now have deleted Norton Antivirus off my mac – that was the only virus on my machine!!
I think this would’ve been a better first step instead of trying to award someone for creating a virus.
I haven’t decided wether Symantec wanted to scare Mac users into becoming Norton AV software buyers or if Symantec wanted to scare potential Windows to Mac switchers into remaining with Windows and remaining Norton AV software customers.
Probably both.
I hate bullshit artists.
We opine, you think it’s news. Fox news.
The man behind MacTable making such a cogent and relevant statement about company ethics and practices on April Fools Day is indeed an irony.
Too bad it wasn’t Art Glaser making the statement!
As a joke, is a very, very bad one
As a statement, is a interesting one
Indeed, too bad.
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However, I think we’d be having even more of a field day stomping Glaser’s name into the ground. Not that I’m all that more enamored of Campbell – just wish this sort of a challenge to Symantec, with which I am in full agreement, had come from a more historically reputable source.
Every day is April Fools for Mr Campbell…
“We opine, you think it’s news. Fox news.”
Nah. It’s “We distort. You decide.”
I’m not sure it’s an April Fools joke or not, but I know John Thompson, Symantec CEO, probably has the same attitude as many Symantec employees when he says, “We do Mac software?”
Try the veal.
And MDN helps
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“Fox News” – now that’s an oxymoron if ever I heard one.
“Every day is April Fools for Mr Campbell…”
LOL !!! That says it all ! Maybe April 1st is the only day he doesn’t lie…
Fox News is the only balanced news coverage by a major network, which is why it’s growing like topsy.
Now quit your political bellyaching you lefty whiners, and get back to Apple news…
<i>Every day is April Fools for Mr Campbell…<i>
That’s Apple/Mac hall-of-fame material.
Well, Jack certainly knows how to get tons of attention. The fake rumors site was brilliant. Unethical, but brilliant. And this is brilliant too.
But it is a shame the web has such a long memory. And the Mac community is so tight.
I hope this is his way of reforming for the past. I really do. Everyone deserves a second (or more in this case) chance.
“Fox News is the only balanced news coverage by a major network”
Now THERE’S some good April Foolin’!!
Fox News
“…….We Distort …. you Comply…..”
Kate…. what they do, has as much to do with Journalism … as a fart has to do with music !
News? That’s BBC. The rest is just a joke.
Fox News is popular because it tells christians what christians want to hear.
All the whining about Fox News… where’s the “fair and balanced” approach with Mac Daily “News”?…
Now that’s a good chuckle!