>How susceptible is a computer to hackers? I have a friend here in >France that insists that one is totally unprotected
A Windows machine, running a default setup and without anti-virus and other security software, yes. Mac OS X, not to mention other unix-based systems, are relatively safe, as long as common sense is used (like using good passwords). Pre-X Macs are pretty safe too, as long as you avoid MS stuff. I don't how bad it is nowadays, but back in my college computer lab assistant days, the biggest virus problem I ever had, on PC and Mac, was with MS Office and macro viruses. I've never had a virus on any of my own Macs, which I attribute to a MS-free diet. >someone can >enter in even when the machine is off. That sounds crazy to me. It is. Total paranoid nonsense. I can't even understand how anyone can believe that. Perhaps you friend has been reading/watching too much hacker fiction. Most hacker stuff I see on TV and movies is written by the clueless for the clueless. That's something that belongs on this page: http://rinkworks.com/stupid/cs_paranoia.shtml -- http://www.zirconia3.com "If he thought he could fly, why didn't he take off from the ground first?" --Bill Hicks(1961-94) -- The iMac List is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... Small Dog Electronics http://www.smalldog.com | Refurbished Drives | - Epson Stylus Color 580 Printers - new at $69 | & CDRWs on Sale! | Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> iMac List info: <http://lowendmac.com/imac/list.shtml> --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/imac-list%40mail.maclaunch.com/> --------------------------------------------------------------- >The Think Different Store http://www.ThinkDifferentStore.com ---------------------------------------------------------------
