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General discussion

NEW USING MAC

Nov 19, 2007 7:53AM PST

I have been using Windows-based computers and decided to try out a MAC. End result using my Macbook/Pro - I love it. So easy. I am concerned about one thing...On my other PC(s), I ran a anti-virus and firewall program(s) and the Mac tech says Apple has one internally installed and there is no need to subscribe to another one. It this true. Makes me nervous not seeing something flashing at me which tells me it's doing its job. Can anyone advise me on what is the best thing to do?

Discussion is locked

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Firewall and AV
Nov 19, 2007 9:32AM PST

AV: Currently there are no virus's in the wild that act against OS X. None. If you feel the need for AV software, without the need to line the pockets of the FUD mongers, consider ClamAVX. It is FREE, always a good price and is available here

Firewall: OS X has a built-in firewall that is accessible from the Sharing Preference pane. (System Preferences > Sharing and choose the Firewall tab.
This firewall only blocks incoming stuff. If you want to be able to control what goes out, or what phones home, consider Little Snitch available here
This one is not free.

Hope this helps

P

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FIREWALL & AV
Nov 19, 2007 8:23PM PST

Thanks for the info on Firewall and AV. As a new Mac user, its comforting to know. Thanks again.

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Just wanted to say...
Nov 21, 2007 11:57AM PST

welcome to the world of Mac's. They will not disappoint you. Leave those pesky fears of viruses and spyware in the Land of Windows! I have and still own several Macs and not one has had a problem or issue with spyware or viruses. Enjoy your new Mac! They are fun!
Cheers,
Rachyl

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You don't need it but it's good to always have an AV in some
Nov 21, 2007 1:19PM PST

form, Mac or PC. You could find some good demos and keep the dmg files whenever the trials are up... but let's not get into that stuff. If anything, tracking cookies from ad sites are about the only thing that I've seen hitched onto Macs. Nothing else, unless you somehow put one on your Mac intentionally. Or maybe some people are really stupid enough to get one. Not cool.

Eventually, like Me, Myself, and You has said, viruses will emerge for the Mac, and soon, the virus-free world of Macs will disappear and then the market will turn in favor of Windows... of course this could happen over a number of years... but I doubt it would be that bad to revert to Windows LOL.
-BMF

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Don't look now, but the market already favors Windows,
Nov 21, 2007 10:47PM PST

"the virus-free world of Macs will disappear and then the market will turn in favor of Windows... "

I'm not sure how a virus for OS X will stop people from purchasing Mac's, it has not stopped them from buying Windows.

Although there is an upswing in the number of Macs sold, it does not match the number of Windows machines sold.


P

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But I'm saying in the future, when Macs become the norm like
Nov 22, 2007 2:52AM PST

Windows is today, it could be possible that viruses could turn the tide. Then again, it is a wild thought... yeah. Still, I'd rather have UNIX system over MS stuff.
-BMF

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Same has been said of Linux.
Nov 22, 2007 3:16AM PST

Let's try not to repeat this...

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I'm not trying to, but I'm just trying to point
Nov 22, 2007 7:50AM PST

out some stuff. Point made, I guess, case closed LOL. Why can't everyone computer owner in the world just get a disc with every flavor of OS X, Windows, and Linux with a sign that says "Enjoy it, do whatever you want with it"? Ah, but then copyright and other laws come into effect, disc limitations, storage... A good dream that will never see the light of day. At least the "war" between Windows and Macs is a bit more clear; HD DVD vs. Blu-Ray is going to continue on and on when they are both kind of the same thing... though Blu-Ray discs seem to have better laser-ing. Too bad they're fragile without extra protection. But I digress again. There isn't a real "war" between Windows and Macs anyway. It's more like a slow progression of switching to one or the other.

Never mind.
-BMF

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Required
Nov 28, 2007 2:34AM PST

I have an AV only because it's required by my network. I'm also running Windows in a BootCamp partition, which has the same AV as the Mac "side", but it actually gets used in Windows.
While viruses for Macs aren't an impossibility, for all the rumors of the same, there are indeed no viruses to "the wild". But, for a virus to be any more than annoying, you would have to type your password in for it to do any real damage, thanks to UNIX security.
Still, it's unlikely that anything of the sort will happen, especially with sandboxing in Leopard.