Input from a computer major. Use Linux, it's free and way more reliable!!! Windows is too unstable and too vunerable. Macs are only good for the arts, photo, audio, and video. LONG LIVE TUX!!! Truthfully, I have Windows 2000 and never have a problem, until I let someone borrow my computer. They compare a computer to a car. Then people should have to get a licsence to operate a computer as well !!!! Lot less headache for me. Just kidding about the liscence thing, computers are great, just use them wisely and you will be safe. Don't use programs such as Kazaa or Ares which are loaded with spyware and dummy files that are actually viruses. Use Mozilla Firefox from www.mozilla.org for a webbrowser (made by Linux of course, and it's free!!!). It has a built in pop-up blocker. Man pop-up blockers for internet explorer contain spyware. Your computer runs faster if you have your music downloader turned off, it's only a machine, not a God . Run virus scans on it once to twice a week, about $20 at your local Wal-Mart or you can find free open-source software doing a google search, example AVG (Google it!). Run programs such as Spy-bot and and Ad-aware SE for spyware (just Google these and you will find them). Microstoft has a free Beta version virus/spyware scanner that works awesome (www.microsoft.com). Just like kids, if your computer starts acting sick, it probably is sick and needs to be taken care of immediately so that viruses, trojans, and spyware doesn't get worse and ruin your system. Don't download things unless you know 100% sure it is safe, stay away from Weather Bug, Gator, Ebates, and Wild Tangent (those are the worst). Be kind to your computer and it will be kind to you. One more thing, Windows ME is the worst operating system on he face of the Earth!!!!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Twdinger,

Over the course of the past 12 years I have had four Macintosh computers. I sold my Performa 550 to upgrade to a PowerMac 7300, and have since bought a G3 Powerbook and an iBook G4 laptop. Never had a problem with viruses...never had a hard drive crash...had one self-induced system snafu...have had just two hardware issues (one of which, thank God, was under warranty) and giggle every time I hear of the new PC virus or trojan that is infecting all those Winblows systems worldwide.

Macs cost a little more than Dells, Gateways and whatever offshoot of the PC system is out there. But consider how little I have paid for repair and service on my computers over the years, it's obvious that you get what you pay for when you compare Macs and PC's.

Macs are not as flexible to make changes to. Linux and Windows allow the user to do more with the system and make it easy for upgades, adding cooler/newer hardware. What ever you buy for a Mac, you pretty much get. Yes, there are things you can do to it to make it better, but how often do you here of people building their own Mac machines. PC's work fine as long as you don't do dumb things with it. Like I said, I never have virus problems as long as I keep other people off my computer. If I knew Linux a little better I would be running that instead.

Tim...the reason people don't build their own Macs is because Steve Jobs and the powers that be at Apple were smart enough not to allow every Tom, Dick and Billy to have access to their system source code, which is part of the reason why there are so many PC viruses and so few Mac viruses.

As for hardware and system upgrades, it's as easy on a Mac as it is on Winblows, maybe even more so. I have the capability to do darn near anything on a Mac and don't have to jump through nearly as many hoops to do it as I do in Winblows.

Different strokes for different folks, I guess...but I know I wouldn't walk across the street for a free Dell or Gateway as long as I've got my Powerbook and iBook.

quote:

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Originally posted by NWI:
...but I know I wouldn't walk across the street for a free Dell or Gateway as long as I've got my Powerbook and iBook.

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Which is in a shop some where in Cleveland???

It's not that Macs can't have viruses, they can. But people that write viruses are pissed off at the world for some reason and want ot infect as many machines as possible. With over 90% of the population having PC's, they aren't going to waste their time writing viruses for a MAC. So please, everyone, run out and buy you iMACs with your G4 processors so that virus writers will start writing for MAC and make PC's virus free!!!!

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And put Bill Gates in the poor house??? Oh, the horrah...

Hey Rocker...it was Memphis. But now it's back in Omaha. So there. Nyahhh!

That last one was a good one Mikey...LOL...I'll giggle at that one all day. Poor house!!!

>Macs are only good for the arts, photo, audio, and video.....?????
huh?
Then why did the United States military switch over OS X servers for security reasons? Why did Virginia Tech put in 1100 Xserves/OS X to make the world's 5th largest supercomputer? Why did Cisco make the switch to use OS X macs for all of their archiving? on and on and on....
In 2003, a new Windows machine, put on a cable modem was attacked with junk in 40 minutes, in 2004 this dropped to 20 minutes. I know the argument is, "well turn on your firewall, update your anit-virus defs., get the latest service packs, etc." My question is why should I have to bother with it? Open the fridge, light comes on....close it, light goes off. Doesn't matter if I put rotten stuff with bacteria in, it just works. (Sorry about the horrible analogy).

"Open the fridge, light comes on....close it, light goes off. Doesn't matter if I put rotten stuff with bacteria in, it just works."

Ohhhhh...so THAT'S what that is in my crisper drawer. I thought it was an oversized avacado.

It's because they know no one is going to waste their time writing viruses for Macs. There is a reason that very few Windows networks are used, the largest and most successful networks are Novell clients, or Linux based. If done correctly, Linux networks can be almost impossibe to penetrate. Trust me, I'm not supporting Windows networks, not by a long shot. I'm all for Novell!! With Novell you can network pretty much use any operating system you want to on the network. Although Mac had to play hard ball and make it a little difficult to do. Macs are user friendly, but they don't like to play wih other OS. That's why Mac labs have a Mac server running them, because it's too difficult to even get the Mac box to talk to the Linux box. Macs, were great with each other, and are top of th line for for all the arts, but they aren't very compatible with to many othre machines. Honestly, I wish I knew more about the Mac kernal. They are very "idiot-proof". It's very hard to screw up a Mac compared to Windows or Linux, however, the extra security cuts down on the potential a computer is capable of. Windows limited security allows your computer to do more things, however, you have to be careful of what you do or computer might not turn on the next time... Each have their advantages and disadvantages, I guess to each their own. I choose PC for it's cause I love to explore the potential of what my computer can do. I love to tear it apart and add new things to it and put a different OS on my machines to learn more about it. I wish I had a Mac designing and video and audio, but I love my PC.

I got this e-mail the other day, thought it would go perfect with this conversation!!! It's a hoot and a hollar.

For all of us who feel only the deepest love and affection for the way computers have enhanced our lives, read on. At a recent computer expo (COMDEX),

Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the auto industry and stated, "If GM had kept up with technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving $25.00 cars that got 1,000 miles to the gallon."

In response to Bill's comments, General Motors issued a press release stating:

If GM had developed technology like Microsoft, we would all be driving cars with the following characteristics (and I just love this part):

1. For no reason whatsoever, your car would crash twice a day.

2. Every time they repainted the lines in the road, you would have to buy a new car.

3. Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason. You would have to pull to the side of the road, close all of the windows, shut off the car, restart it, and reopen the windows before you could continue. For some reason you would simply accept this.

4. Occasionally, executing a maneuver such as a left turn would cause your car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you would have to reinstall the engine.

5. Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, was reliable, five times! as fast and twice as easy to drive - but would run on only five percent of the roads.

6. The oil, water temperature, and alternator warning lights would all be replaced by a single "This Car Has Performed An Illegal Operation" warning light.

7. The airbag system would ask "Are you sure?" before deploying.

8. Occasionally, for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key and grabbed hold of the radio antenna

9. Every time a new car was introduced car buyers would have to learn how to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car.

10. You'd have to press the "Start" button to turn the engine off.

Several more reasons why there are two kinds of computer users:

1. Those who use Macs, and,

2. Those who, after experiencing all the wonderful things that Winblows has to offer (constant crashes, viruses, difficulty in accessibility, etc., etc., etc.), wish they did.

And Tim, BTW...got your message this afternoon. Virus free, I might add.

i agree with mikey....the macs are the computers of choice...linux would be too hard for ordinay people to use...macs are easy to use and integrate with windows well. heck, their xserve raid servers are awesome and work very well in a windows environment. i also think the macs are making steam now in the computer world. i think the ipod started it and now the imac and mac mini have followed suit. i would suggest getting a mac. also, the os for the macs, panther, is based on the freebsd linux kernel. the next os, tiger, is gonna be awesome

The new mac servers are sweet.

macs can get viruses but most of the time they cannot be executed by the hacker because they have to have root access, which most ordinary users will not be able to get into. apple has been very good with their design and all-around computer package lately. just take a look at the advantages of a mac. hardly any viruses, stable os, user friendly interface, software inclued- the iLife suite - worth the computer alone, and design-take a look at the iMac and tell your not amazed at that. hands down, macs. enough said

All the Macs that I have ran into are slow and can't run a program correctly. Macintosh is so paranoid that they make it impossible to tweak your computer to make it work right when it does mess up. Plus you only have one button, which mean no right clicking and you waste time moving the mouse around the screen to do simple tasks the can be done by right clicking on a pc...such as copy paste. I give Mac their props on an awesome design, but that is like the only selling tool they have. If they have to make it look good, they are trying to hide something. For yor average computer user, Macs work fine, but for someone who likes to experiment and explore, doesn't work so great. I am not anti-mac, I would love to have one just to have one and get even more experience with it, but my number one computer will be the PC.

what were the macs and programs you used that were slow???

The new G4's with MAC OS X. I think it is version 2.something. Can't remember, all I know is that they were way slower on loading time compared to the P4's I use back in the office. I do believe the G4 processor is no faster than the pentium III if I remember right. They were definately under 1 GHz. I know the Windows OS very well (I have to, it's my job) and I have been exposed to MAC's because we help maintain 2 MAC labs. I am in the process of learning more about Linux, and the more I learn the more I like it. Of course Linux can get really advanced compared to the other two, but once you learn it, you can do incredible things with it. MAC's are just too "closed" for me, they don't let you do anything advanced really. Their concept is almost too simple but at the same time they are too secure. Maybe if Apple wouldn't be so uptight with their system, it would be a lot more fun to use, and their one button mouse bothers me, makes a lot of tiedius work out of fairly simple tasks. Can't wait to know even more about Linux and get a Linux box set up in my house so I can do more experimnetation.