Comments on: Apple recommends an Antivirus. So what?

By: Benjamin

Benjamin — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 02:10:32 +0000

This is the only site I’ve seen that has sensibly carried the antivirus page issue. Way to go smoking apples.

And until a virus installs all on its own on my mac, I won’t be bothering with an antivirus.

By: Partners in Grime

Partners in Grime — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 03:37:44 +0000

I love the smell of napalm in the morning.

By: brotherStefan

brotherStefan — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:26:13 +0000

I just love it when I’m reminded that Macs aren’t immune to virus infection. Now, I’m unaware of any anti-virus app that is able to protect me from a virus that hasn’t yet been written. The apps than I can buy (make that, subscribe to) will protect my Mac from 140,000 existing virus variations (variations that affect PCs, not Macs). Even with that protection, it won’t protect me if I am unlucky enough to be among the first targets of that OOTB (Out of the Blue) virus that everybody “knows” is coming. I mean, the virus has to be detected before an anti-virus definition can be written, doesn’t it? In order for it to be detected, it has to infect some hapless target, and those initial targets would be just as hapless whether or not they had the protection of the previous 10 year’s worth of virus definitions. Malware writers don’t write malware to be detected by existing anti-virus software.

By: Liam

Liam — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:35:50 +0000

My head has been spinning looking at nut job sites (even big ones like AI) making a huge deal out of this. That page is obviously kept for legal reasons and everyone assumes it is Apple forcing antivirus software on users. I mean, haven’t you seen a KB article before? They always have a ‘use this advice if you like’ kind of atmosphere about them. I have an “Apple” search going on in TweetDeck. Oh my. 50% of the tweets were about this crap.

By: Milind Alvares

Milind Alvares — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:26:08 +0000

“Tech sites like this should know better.”

I hope you read the post, cause we’re pretty much with you on this

By: JohnO

JohnO — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:03:35 +0000

I am both an ISP and a reseller and the ONLY AV we have on any machines is on our mail servers as that it the only contact we have with Windows. Not any of the numerous other Macs in our organization have it as AV is a conflict from moment one.

I will remind those who say Macs aren’t immune that the challenge has been out there for a number of years and the only alleged virus reports we get is from those selling AV, like the Gawd-awful “the sky is falling” Intego, and Symantec, none of whose products aren’t allowed near our Macs.

Might it happen? Certainly. But AV wouldn’t stop it as AV is always AFTER the fact. It is always behind AV writers and never anticipates. It can only fix or protect from already KNOWN virusses.

So you might as well wait until a virus shows up. So far, that is a very good approach.

Apple is just covering its legal butt.
Tech sites like this should know better.