Mac has 114007 viruses

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JoshuaDavisPhotography.COM says:

I got this same eMail. The exact thing is true for Linux too. And everthing is free in Linux.

I also thought about writing a blog post about this. As the Mac gains popularity the number of viruses written for the Mac will increase.
Posted 41 months ago. ( permalink )

Digital Trav says:

Yeah, and besides the point about Mac now being vulnerable to the PC viruses, it is very disingenious to imply that Mac is "safer" when in fact most people simply don't bother to write Mac viruses.
Posted 41 months ago. ( permalink )

manishv says:

With a market share of just 2-6%, who would bother to write a virus for Mac?
Posted 41 months ago. ( permalink )

Paul Watson says:

There are viruses for Mac, just not very many in comparison.
Posted 41 months ago. ( permalink )

Richard- says:

"With a market share of just 2-6%, who would bother to write a virus for Mac?"

That statement says nothing about the relative security of Mac OS X vs. Windows. One ought to take number of users out of the equation when evaluating vulnerability.

There are at least two reasons why more viruses are written for Windows:

1. More users
2. Less secure

The more users issue eclipses the security issue. In fact it might be possible that part of the reason Max OS X has fewer viruses is because of its relative security.

And, now that there are Intel Macs running Bootcamp that comparison isn't between Macs and Windows, it's between Mac OS X and Windows (the OSs) as a Mac can now run Windows.
Posted 41 months ago. ( permalink )

belloshitty says:

The first virus for Mac was "OSX/Leap-A"...and a new worm is on his way "OSX/Inqtana-A" !
Posted 41 months ago. ( permalink )

Paul Watson says:

BTW just to show my bias, my MacBook Pro is arriving next week :)
Posted 41 months ago. ( permalink )

Richard- says:

Paul: I'm writing on one. You'll love it.
Posted 41 months ago. ( permalink )

trumpetflickr says:

Paul...

Give us a report on the Mac experience, I myself switched three years ago, and man, I am NOT going back. OS X is far superior to any other OS out there, and I should know, I use Windows and Linux frequently.

It's really that good. About the viruses... no, not true really. Windows XP on a Mac will run on a partition, separated from OS X, in a different file system altogether... and hopefully you will use it only when you have too, with a good anti virus to boot... so don't worry mate.
Posted 41 months ago. ( permalink )

Paul Watson says:

I was actually just thinking about when the first Windows virus that looks for, and damages, OSX partitions comes to life.

I'll definitley write up my switching story. I will be triple booting at least at the begining, unless Parallels is really That Good.
Posted 41 months ago. ( permalink )

Darren Olivier says:

I'm really tired of the idea that OS X is only safer because there are less Mac users. While it's true to a small extent (ie, more Mac users would mean more attention from virus-writers), it is OS X's better security that is the primary factor here. Even if OS X had twice the market share of Windows, I'm willing to bet it would have nowhere near 114 000 viruses.

It's the same with Linux, which shares OS X's more secure nature. I'm a satisfied Mac user, but I'd actually recommend that most people using PCs get comfortable with a mainstream Linux distribution and install it as a dual-boot option for use when doing important stuff like internet banking and online shopping. It's a safer option.
Posted 41 months ago. ( permalink )

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Mac has 114007 viruses

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JoshuaDavisPhotography.COM says:

Digital Trav says:

manishv says:

Paul Watson says:

Richard- says:

belloshitty says:

Paul Watson says:

Richard- says:

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