Is the Mac Really Safer Then a PC

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MayGirrl

Is the Mac Really Safer Then a PC

Post by MayGirrl »


Everyone claims the mac is safer but realisticly isn't it less safe because most people on a mac are not as cautious as pc users. Pc users are running software firewalls to see what connections are coming in and out
, sandboxing type software and other security type programs.
If someone personally knows you are on a mac seems they could target you better since they know you proably won't be looking for anything out of the ordinary.

What do you guys think
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Dave Watterson
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Post by Dave Watterson »

Maygirrl is a false name and appears on around 9,110 forums around the net ! This type of spammer is a little more subtle than others - they start with an innocuous topic. If we allowed them to remain there would soon be an advert for an MP3 website of dubious honesty from "her". The user has been removed from our list.

Is there a thread of truth in the idea "she" offered? Are you Mac users out there more confident than PC users ... even now that Macs have Intel chips in them?!

As I see it the web is not that dangerous but it is foolish not to use a good firewall and a good anti-virus system. It is also helpful to use a good dose of common-sense.

An odd-looking name may mean nothing - plenty of people use strange names as their webnames - but it should alert you to look carefully at what is posted.

A link to a website which has nothing to do with the topic under discussion is also a sign to be wary.

And as always in any walk of life, if someone offers you a deal that is too good to be true ... it probably is!

Dave Watterson
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stingman
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Post by stingman »

Well said Dave,
The worlds computers are dominated by 99% PC, and less then 1% Mac. The Macs may be more prone to Viruses etc, and the PC better protected but we always have to update every day. If someone is to target something then to make more money and have a bigger `Con`, it is better to target the majority, hence PC`s.
We always have to be alert. By dad tends to believe every email that is sent to him! It is lucky that he hasn`t lost his house. Don`t believe every link that is sent to you or appears (even on here), It is proberly fake and is trying to con you. Some look real or have a simple way of doing things, like the post Dave pointed out.
If someone`s first post is advertising something or isn`t on topic, then alarm bells should ring. You can see how many posts people make by looking in the lefthand corner of your screen.
Dave as an Adminastrator and me as a Moderator try to get these posts from `losers`, deleated as soon as possible. But as stated before, if we`ve gone out for the day then we don`t notice until we next log in. This type of post seems to be getting more common. We do our best.
Thank Dave for pointing out that a post doesn`t have to contain links to drugs or ways to lengthen certains bits of our bodies. It can be just a simple post.
Keep them peeled.

Ian Gardner.
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Ian Gardner
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Post by admin »

We are also working on block lists that should help reduce this sort of thing. For example try wriing a message about a certain drug that begings with v and you gould end up saying something toally different.

Eg BUY Viagra here doesn't quite have the same ring to it does it ?
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billyfromConsett
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Post by billyfromConsett »

In my 10 years or so working with PC's (after I was forced to admit my souped up Amiga 1200 wasn't managing anything more than nice titles in 256 colours) I have encountered - up to now - only a couple of realitively minor viruses on my gear. And my friend's infected PC sent me one of those.

The industry of anti-virus and online security apps need us all to spend nights awake, worrying about these malicious codes swarming around when our guard is down.

A few starter tips from me (and I'm not computer pro):-

1) Be pretty careful when browsing - and finding free or very low cost things. Free music is often a shining beacon for finding malware, spyware, key logging apps, viruses and other nasties that you don't plan to install. They might install or worm their way in!

2) Use an anti-virus app and a spyware app (like spyware doctor) which has got up-to-date definitions

3) Keep a firewall switched on- that way your PC is much harder to 'see' when your online.

4) Always keep Windows updated with its own security.

5) If you've got wireless broadband use encryption. WEP is now regarded as the most basic- go for WPA encryption.
This stops your lovely neighbours, or jerks in nearby cars with wireless laptops from hacking in to your PC.

6) NEVER NEVER respond to emails from a bank i.e. MR Fraudster asking for any personal updates you need to make - like your bank log in codes, credit card stuff or sort codes etc. You must be sure who you are telling- and it's very hard even for computer geeks to be 100% sure.

You could ditch the PC and go back to cine. Maybe that's extreme... but you can rest easy! :wink:

If you know more than me- and don't agree with any of the above, I am cool to be corrected.
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Post by Dave Watterson »

You could try using your computer in a sealed vault at the bottom of a lake or loch with your own generator and no internet connection. That's pretty safe apart from the occasional curious electric eel ...

Billy's advice is good. You can get decent free anti-virus software and programs to scan for spyware. Given the ease of using Norton, Mcafee etc with automatic updates I reckon it is worth paying for a little protection - think of it as insurance.

Without getting too geeky - do take the trouble to find out how your firewall works and set it up to give you enough protection. Some of them - including Microsoft's own one - come with default settings which leave you much more exposed than I like.

With that protection in place I've survived several attempts at infection through emails ... one of my email addresses is very widely publicised around the world and so is easy for spammers and other nuisances to find.

Be sensible and don't worry ... be happy !


Dave
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Stephen
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Post by Stephen »

Certainly agree with what you say Billy.. just to add my 2cents worth...

been involved with PC's for a few years now and by far the best solution I've found is to keep my video editing PC off the net !!

Once its set up for video, music editing ... nothing else... it is as fast as as the day it was done 12 months ago..... sweetness and joy... no worries !!

I use a caddy system with swappable HDDs on my second PC ( an old 1.4Ghz AMD) for surfing the net which works real fine... (you can pick decent sized drives up for a few pounds these days) if it all goes pear shaped it can be set back up in less than an hour, or if you are smart you put the backed up HDD caddy in and away you go in minutes... reformat the pear shaped HDD and back that up....wey hey...

If you are worried about getting personal info nicked (if you do internet banking etc) and not up to date with firewalls etc do it the old fashioned way...

main thing is... enjoy your PC and internet world !!!

just a thought
Stephen

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It's much more important than that.
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Is a Mac Really Safer Than a PC?

Post by Michael Slowe »

I think Macs are safer because there are fewer viruses concocted for them. But I agree with the chap who states that he keeps his editing computer well away from the net. I would never have my editing Mac (and they are better for all graphics work, look at any studio) on the net- far too dangerous. On my internet iMac BT give me a 'bulk' folder and they field virtually 100% of my spam. Sometimes I find a mail I want in that folder and it's generally from a woman and bears her name - see how BT are guarding my morals!
Peter Thomlinson

Re: Is the Mac Really Safer Then a PC

Post by Peter Thomlinson »

MayGirrl wrote:
Everyone claims the mac is safer but realisticly isn't it less safe because most people on a mac are not as cautious as pc users. Pc users are running software firewalls to see what connections are coming in and out
, sandboxing type software and other security type programs.
If someone personally knows you are on a mac seems they could target you better since they know you proably won't be looking for anything out of the ordinary.

What do you guys think
Well as a girl!! (Only joking) - I would say that there is virtually no difference between Macs and PC's now, apart from price, where PC's are a lot cheaper. They also have more programmes written for them. It is also easier to sort out the computer coding and the hardware on PC's as well.

All computers are at risk from virus attacks - keep off the Internet as people suggest if you edit video or sound. Have a very cheap PC just for the Internet.
Graeme Webb

Is the Mac Really Safer Then a PC

Post by Graeme Webb »

There are zero-percent (0%) of viruses for the Mac OS X platform that should, logically, have some 10-16% (market share) of the world's viruses if platforms' install bases dictate the numbers of viruses. The fact that Mac OS X has zero (0) viruses totally discounts "security via obscurity." There should be at least some Mac OS X viruses. There are none. The reason for this fact is not attributable solely to "obscurity," it's attributable to superior security design.

There is more software for Mac's due to the fact that Macs can run Apples "Boot Camp". Parallels Desktop for Mac enables you to run Windows, Linux, and more side-by-side with Mac OS X seamlesly on any Intel-powered Mac, without rebooting. therefore allowing one to run any windows software (it does beg the question why you would want to).

Its all a matter of choice I made my choice for Mac's running FCP studio 2 as life is too short to spend time on getting things to run on windows.

Beware of FUDD (Fear Uncertainty Doubt and Disinformation)

This is an age old argument that has been rolling on for years the interesting thing is that it will come to a conclusion in a few years time. The old business models are failing amd some of the large IT and entertainment corporates are starting to fail due to a lack of inovation and a total disrespect for their customers.

Microsoft 'Zune' anyone ?

Cheers Graeme
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Post by ned c »

I have jusrt read this thread for the first time having decided that the Mac v PC thing is a bore. The reason I use a Mac is that my first NLE program (EditDV) was originally specifically for the Mac. When EditDV died I moved to FCP which is also Mac specific. My Mac is connected to the net as this is how I get my upgrades. I have never had any problems. I also have a PC that is used for office stuff and it works fine. I have had a couple of virus incidents on the PC and they are a pain!

My computers are tools, not things I have a personal relationship with
ned c
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billyfromConsett
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Re: Is the Mac Really Safer Then a PC

Post by billyfromConsett »

Graeme Webb wrote: Parallels Desktop for Mac enables you to run Windows, Linux, and more side-by-side with Mac OS X seamlesly on any Intel-powered Mac, without rebooting. therefore allowing one to run any windows software (it does beg the question why you would want to).

Its all a matter of choice I made my choice for Mac's running FCP studio 2 as life is too short to spend time on getting things to run on windows.
You might want to run windows software because there is a massively greater range available, often at very low cost.

I have used PC's for years, and I had to be dragged away from my beloved Amiga, but the software tools are there, and on the whole they work pretty well for me.

They are also very easy and cheap to build. I know no-one who can build me a mac.

I mention these things just to keep it balanced...
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stingman
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Post by stingman »

I`m not getting into the argument of if mine is bigger then yours!
Anyway........

God Bless the Comodore Amiga because that is where my film animation and titles started and God Bless Microsoft for haveing the vision to provide a platform for our computers.If you produce a product that people use and like and some company folds then thats life, you should have made your product better (you cannot sue them!) just because you lost.
(I not pointing any fingers at people on here, just the companys who try to screw something out of microsoft. money for nothing.
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