“The heated interchange between Apple and Microsoft over a Windows virus that shipped with some iPods since mid-September has provided the marketplace with a clear sign that Apple’s star is on the rise and that Microsoft knows it,” Stan Beer writes for iTWire.
Beer writes, “As has been widely reported, the virus that shipped with some video iPods was a Windows virus. Apple was not backward in coming forward to remind everyone of that fact on its website and in the process set the blogosphere alight. Indignant Windows users (and vendors) chided Apple for not taking full responsibility for the incident as the iPod was the virus vector. However, for every pro-Windows blog poster there was at least as many Mac fanatics ready to hit back in true Jobsian fashion to remind everyone that there have been no major virus outbreaks on the Mac platform.”
Beer notes, “Here at iTWire, Alex Zaharov-Reutt received a monstrous tongue lashing and I as editor copped almost as much abuse for daring to run his article.” More on Zaharov-Reutt’s article here.
“…The facts are that Mac OS X has been virus free for years, while the score count on Windows just keeps piling up. The suggestion that this is because virus writers are not targeting Macs is ludicrous,” Beer writes. “Regardless of the relatively small but once again growing Mac marketshare, there are tens of millions of Macs in use and every virus writer in town would love to be the first to break the bank at Monte Carlo so to speak.”
“The software company actually publicly responded to Apple’s website remarks about Windows security by suggesting that there was a problem with Apple’s quality control,” Beer writes. “The fact that Microsoft has allowed itself to be lured into a war of words with Apple demonstrates that the Cupertino company has succeeded in getting under the Redmond company’s skin.”
Full article here.
Related articles:
Microsoft upset with Apple for partially blaming Windows for iPod virus – October 19, 2006
iTWire: Apple iPods infected with Windows virus should be massive wake-up call for Mac users – October 18, 2006
Apple shipped Windows virus on small number of 5G video-capable iPods – October 17, 2006
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You got that right!!!!!!!!!!!
Ballmer and Gates are probally in a panic state, the state any control freak experiences when the facade starts to crumble. Zune will fail simply because wireless transmission of malware will happen from the get-go. What a cool platform for the virus writers. Go to a mall and spread the crap around like smallpox.
Once again, Stan Beer proves that he is quite possibly the most informed and reasonable tech writer out there today. And he has the coolest name ever!!!
there is a realtor in Dallas called Beer Wells, I shit you not. Signs everywhere.
That’s what I’ve been saying– Apple took a knowing dig at M$ to piss them off. Apple and M$ started as a small group of people. Just because the companies are huge now doesn’t mean the competition isn’t personal. Any time Jobs can remind them that they’re still “less than,” he will. Because of their positions, they use spokesmen or press releases to deliver the message, but this is the same as teasing one another on the playground.
I, for one, love it.
First post! Yesss!!!!
YES! Finally someone stepping up and saying it like it is. Love it.
Does anyone have stan beers e-mail address??
N.
It was a Windows computer that infected the iPods, why doesn’t Microsoft take “full responsibility” for the infection?
norm e
I think it is stanbeers@theBar.com
“iPod virus clash signals Microsoft fear of Apple”
I thought it was the razor in apples everyone was scared of.
If a Windows virus got into a computer that was formatting/checking HDs at the iPod plant that implies one of 2 things are true.
Either:
a- A Windows device is being used to format or QA/QC the HDs at the iPod plant.
or
b- A non-Windows device (Linux/Unix/Mac) without active anti-virus protection was being used to format or QA/QC the HDs at the iPod plant.
Regardless of the answer, it’s an embarrassment for Apple. Prudence in manufacturing a product marketed to Windows users should be virus free at the time of purchase. That is a reasonable expectation.
If Windows devices are used in the production of iPods what does that say about the suitability of OS X to the commercial market? If unprotected non-Windows devices are being used, what does that say about quality control and Quality assurance on the line?
Apple is not clean on this one.
Question:
what dont you understand about the term “Windows Virus”
It was obviously a windows machine that infected the devices, either through writing the firmware, or final testing.
This virus will not infect a linux, unix, or Mac box.
Apple needs to make sure it wont happen again, they have appoligized, taken the blame, and are resolving the issue. While having a little fun messing with microsoft in the mean time, not to mention getting alot of press.
Microsoft on the other hand.. Is denying ANY responsibility, has not appoligized for this or the other 300,000 exploits for windows, and they are not resolving the issue.
Unless you call patching the hoover damn with spackel “resolving the issue”.
Question, Apple have answered your question already, they said they were pissed that MS made crappy insecure software, then said thay were EVEN MORE ANGRY that they had allowed it to happen. So you can bet there will be changes at that manufacturers plan…
“If Windows devices are used in the production of iPods what does that say about the suitability of OS X to the commercial market?”
It says the manufacture will learn to run a clean windows install at in increased cost, switch to OSX, or lose the contract.
“If unprotected non-Windows devices are being used, what does that say about quality control and Quality assurance on the line?
chances are the chinamen at the end of the line has the WINDOWS computer connected to the internet. The end. again, it WAS a windows machine.. shoot could have even been protected with antivirus software, and behind a firewall, everyone knows that with all the protection available you can still easily get infected. They will resolve the issue, or apple will find another builder.
“Apple is not clean on this one.”
While its possible if they chose another vendor for assembly they never would have had this problem it doesnt change the fact that they were not directly responsible. They will tighten the QC with that vendor, and I immagine this will put them on thin ice to say the least. Apple is responsible, and Apple is taking responsibility.
APPLE IS CLEAN because they dealt with the issue openly, and resolved it.
I would not be surprised if this incident allows Apple to bear a huge amount of pressure on the manufacturing to migrate their internal systems away form Windows to a Mac-based solution.
Unfortunately, manufacturing control systems is an area where the Mac probably has zero presence….this could be an opportunity for Apple to help wean a big manufacturer off the shoddy, virus-prone, and unreliable Windows systems that run the factories.
MS to Apple: Please, don’t bug me!
Steve Jobs is a clever man.
Oops. A few iPods left our manufacturers with a virus. Mac users, you are not affected. Windows users, you know the drill…
Apple will see more positive publicity from this “mistake” than negative.
Actually, all this proves is that whenever a microsoft product is involved in the mix, then invariably things go horribly wrong. And to all the Windows fanboys having a go at Apple for passing on a WINDOWS virus, you’d be better off slagging yourselves off for all the Microsoft Word macro viruses and e-mail viruses/spyware/adware you are sharing with each other on a daily basis.
Apple is not the only vendor that has slipped up and let a virus go out with a new product.
I wonder if anyone remembers that the one of the very first viruses called MacMag was for the Mac.
After displaying a message about universal peace, the virus deleted itself. It was discovered in December of 1987 in a HyperCard stack called “New Apple Products”
MacMag was not designed to be malicious but it found it’s way into Aldus and was distributed inadvertantly on installation disks for either (if memory serves) Freehand or PageMaker.
I remember receiving a CD from another software vendor (an NFR demo actually) that was also infected (Windows only virus)
I am certain that there isn’t a major vendor that hasn’t blighted someone’s computer from an e-mail or other such contact.
Before anyone rants about the MacMag virus and points to this as something new or clear evidence of a threat to today’s (Mac OS X)systems, They should do some research.
Anyone who reads any magazine that comes with a computer cd on it (like Computer Arts) – knows that they all state in the disclaimer – they are ‘reasonably’ free of viruses, but everyone should make sure to scan them regardlessly. Any computer cd or product, which has actual data on it, can contain a virus at any time. Wow, so I guess PCs can be infected and then sold just like an ipod.
NewType “I would not be surprised if this incident allows Apple to bear a huge amount of pressure on the manufacturing to migrate their internal systems away form Windows to a Mac-based solution. “
As I understood reports at the time, those infected iPods were a sample from the production run that were specifically being tested on a Windows computer because it’s deemed to be important to ensure that everything should work fully as expected on all supported platforms.
Therefore there can be no question of manufacturing iPods without them ever coming into contact with PCs. Thorough quality control procedures will still require some of them to be tested on PCs, but we can be pretty certain that there will be more stringent testing of those PCs in future.
we’re unhappy with sony for making batteries that explode, but we’re even more unhappy that we bought those pos batteries
there is a realtor in Dallas called Beer Wells, I shit you not. Signs everywhere.
Has Beer Wells been around awhile, or are they just a newbie from the real estate boom?
Here in Minneapolis we had car dealers selling mortgages. Should’ve been the first sign to bail & run from the market…
As for viruses, let MS spit all the nails they want. Wars of words don’t build better products or change the facts.
First Post!!!! Yess I finally did it!!!
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