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General discussion

Apple OS Article in E-Week

Jul 13, 2005 2:03PM PDT

And I thought the Apple OS was the latest and greatest but after reading the following article in Newsweek, I may change my mind.

Apple Patches OS X Flaws

Ian Betteridge - eWEEKWed Jul 13, 8:40 AM ET

Apple Computer Inc. has released an update for its Mac OS X 10.4 operating system that fixes two security flaws, including one that potentially opened the platform up to a denial-of-service attack.

Mac OS X Update 10.4.2 addresses an issue with the operating system's TCP/IP stack, which allowed a specially formed TCP/IP packet to cause a kernel panic, requiring the system to be rebooted. Apple notes that systems with many forms of TCP/IP filtering would be unaffected by the issue, which only affects Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger and Mac OS X Server 10.4.

The update also fixes a potential issue with Dashboard, in which third-party Widgets were allowed to replace Apple-supplied ones that are shipped with OS X 10.4. This could have meant that users were not aware that they were running third-party code, which, in turn, could have led to users trusting behaviour from the Widget that they would not otherwise accept. The update alerts users if a download is replacing an Apple-supplied Widget.

The update, which is available through Mac OS X's Software Update system as well as via a download from Apple's Web site, also features a plethora of bug fixes and minor feature improvements for Tiger and its associated applications. Support for AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) encryption in WPA-PSK (Wi-Fi Protected Access Pre-shared Key) wireless networks is added, and support for WPA2 encryption is also improved.

Apple also fixed various bugs in Mail, iChat AV, Safari and the Finder, and made improvements to .Mac syncing after changing network locations.

For Mac OS X Server, the update also includes fixes relating to file permission inheritance when using AFP file services, improved support for Open Directory and Windows Server 2003 Active Directory, and more reliable file system management operations.

Check out eWEEK.com's Macintosh Center for the latest news, reviews and analysis on Apple in the enterprise.

And we all thought windows was bad!!!

Discussion is locked

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What's your point?
Jul 13, 2005 4:27PM PDT

Updates fix things. Updates improve things. We get updates. So?

There was a security flaw. It's fixed. Show me someone who was a victim of the flaw, before the update was posted. That flaw was in place for a month or two, and the hole is plugged.

What system do you use? Are there security flaws? How long have they been there? Are you expecting a fix any time soon, or are you waiting for ''Longhorn''

I still think Windows is bad. I see nothing here to change that opinion.

Lampie

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Chill
Jul 13, 2005 5:04PM PDT

Wow. Two flaws. Stop the presses. How many security updates pop up when you run windows update? Also, every time Apple updates their OS, they make FUNCTIONALITY improvements meaning they listen to their users and actually fix things that may not be working right. How many functionality improvements do you see on Windows update? Also, at least Apple recognized these flaws before 2 million testosterone laden peecee weenies took advantage of them like they would have on a stupid Dell before Microsoft even paid attention. So lay off OS X. It rules. Deal with it.

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A point
Jul 13, 2005 10:00PM PDT

I was assuming, like lampietheclown, that your post had some relevance. Darned if I can find any though.
I read exactly the same press release on the Apple Web site. It's not as if this update was something secret. It fixed a couple of security flaws and updated a bunch of stuff. I thought that was what updates did.
Yesterday, when I updated a W2K machine at work, there were 15 "Critical Updates" 14 of them Security related! The was not one update to the OS.

To quote lampie "I still think Windows is bad. I see nothing here to change that opinion."
Hear Hear


P

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PerfectOS is a myth.
Jul 13, 2005 10:12PM PDT

I don't engage in OSWars, but I've run into a few that have missed out on a wonderful PC or Mac experience because they heard and read there are still bugs in the systems.

Can you share if you will be waiting till they fix that bug they don't know about?

Bob

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And your point is?
Jul 14, 2005 11:12PM PDT

Apple supplies updates to it's current OS all the damn time so you don't have to worry about spyware or system bugs screwing up the best OS on the planet.
Keep in mind that theses machines are designed by human beings who are not too proud to admit that they need tweaking from time to time.
My 2001 Quicksilver 1GHZ desktop and my 867 '15' powerbook run flawlessly due to those software updates I've been getting and installing since OSX 10.1
Fixing flaws and updating software is why the OS is so very good.
Now if we only had a Government in Washington that was as commited
to fixing bugs so smoothly!
At least they take the time to explain what they are fixing or updating
and WHY!