>I receive files often enough from that other platform, and while it's true >that my ISP usually catches most emailed viruses, some do get through, and >without my own virus checker, I could easily end up forwarding these on to >Windows users. > >Basically, while I agree that viruses are not yet a significant problem on >OS X, Mac OS X can be a "virus carrier", so if it is within one's budget, >I think that installing a reasonable anti-virus tool can be seen as an act >of good internet citizenship. :-)
<sigh> Ok. When was the last time you got an infected file that you might have reason to pass onto someone else? Better yet, have you EVER received such a file? I bet you have gotten tons of the current windows viruses however. But look at them. Is there a single one that you might accidentally forward on to someone else because you didn't know it was a virus? Is there a single one that you would even have REASON to forward to someone else? You are paying money to protect yourself from something that isn't a threat. >As for specific packages, we use Virex in the office (works well; not too >intrusive). For home use, bundles of anti-virus software and firewall >software can be reasonable investments. For example, Intego Internet >Security Barrier is ~$100 (I know, I know, they hyped a Mac trojan horse >that wasn't really a problem, so they come off a little weaselly, but the >product itself is not bad). Do any of these mac products scan for windows specific viruses? Last time I bought an AV product for the mac (4 or 5 years ago I guess), Mac AV software scanned for Mac viruses or cross platform viruses ONLY (ie: MS Word and Excel macro viri would be checked for). They did no scanning for PC viruses. Have they changed that practice? If not, then once again, you are paying for a product that not only does nothing for the Mac, but ALSO doesn't even do what you are hoping to do, that is, catch a file infected with a Windows virus that you might accidentally pass on. And we won't even get into the fact that in Windows documents, which I assume are what you are afraid you will get and not know are infected and then pass to someone else... are a TOTALLY different beast then Mac documents. There really is no where in a Windows doc to hide virus code to carry on. On the Mac these things existed, because you can hide extra unused code in the resource fork. There is no such analogy in Windows documents. The document is 100% data binary code in the specific format and layout that the windows application is expecting. If you alter that in any significant way, the application will report it as a damaged document. You can hide tons of stuff in the windows registry, that then calls altered applications or DLL files (think Mac extensions for lack of a better analogy). But the windows registry is specific to each windows machine. So you aren't going to get the registry emailed to you and then you accidentally send it on to someone else not knowing it is infected. Not to mention, the registry doesn't get infected, it simply contains references that tell the windows machine what other things to run and work with. So even if you DID pass a registry on to another person, it would do NOTHING on their computer. There is no virus in it, just little text pointers saying "go run this", which when called will fail because where and what it is claiming to run isn't on the new machine (saying you could even install the registry in a manner that enables it, which you can't). So that leaves you with windows apps and DLLs. Much like documents, you really can't infect them in Windows in a manner that leaves the original in a normal operating way. You can create fake DLLs and apps, which get called from the registry. But those aren't infected apps, those are simply viruses themselves. And they do a good job of hiding themselves on the windows machine. So you won't get one sent to you, because a windows user will not have a reason to do so. It isn't as if they are running the infected app (again something that was possible on the Mac thanks to the resource fork... not possible on Windows). So since they will never deliberatly be running the virus application, they would have no reason to send it to anyone, as they will be blissfully unaware it even exists. Thus, you can't get it and accidentally send it on to someone else. <sigh> So I say again... AV software on the Mac does 100% of NOTHING in OS X at this particular moment in time. If you are running it, it is simply because you have a fundimental misunderstanding of the way the viruses work on Windows, and you wrongly believe that it will do something to protect either yourself, or people you know. The ONE exception to this rule is MS Macro viruses. They can still be present and in theory will still work in OS X's versions of MS Office. HOWEVER, MS long ago put in a check that if a document is opened that contains an embeded macro, it will warn you of such, and give you the option to disable macros until you can inspect the macro code. You should NEVER EVER enable macros in MS Office unless you know what the macro is. If you get the warning, simply choose to disable macros (which is the default, so if you just hit return to skip the warning, they will be disabled), then go to the tools menu, choose Macros, and open and look at the macro. A virus will stick out like a sore thumb when you read its source code (which is in VB Script, a language a bit similar to AppleScript, so anyone that reads their native language should be able to read the source code sufficiently to know if the code is something bad). But when was the last time you ran into a Macro virus? Or any OS 9 or earlier virus? When was the last time anyone running AV software actually had it tell you it caught something? If it has been 2 or more years, then you need to seriously rethink the costs you are spending on AV software. I'd venture to say, that most Mac users have gone AT LEAST 2 years without a warning, probably closer to 5 (and many that run it have probably never been warned AT ALL). <sigh> People are free to do as they please with AV software. Spend your money where you want, and do whatever it is that makes you happiest and feel safest. I for one will continue to save my money for other needs. When OS X starts seeing virus problems, I will rethink my choice to not run AV software. Until that day occurs, I can think of pleanty of other things to spend the money on. -chris <http://www.mythtech.net> ___________________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe send a mail message with a SUBJECT line of "unsubscribe" to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> or <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
