Been assimilated... going with Apple 'puters

[LittleLebowski]

With absolute respect to Vinh, I've been running Macs sans anti malware since 2004 and never had a problem. I've had to crack open Terminal twice to solve problems that the GUI couldn't solve twice. I have heard the BS that "once OS X gets popular, there will be viruses for it" for years. Anyone want to jog my memory on a real virus for OS X sans cross platform Java exploits and silly disguised scripts that you still have to run as root?

OS X is POSIX compliant, Linux is POSIX compliant. The argument that "once OS X gets popular, there will be viruses for it" could very easily be applied to Linux since Linux runs so many enterprise sites and therefore is popular yet seemingly less affected by malware by an order of magnitude than Windows.

OS X has been steadily growing in popularity yet viruses affecting it have not affected it despite said popularity.

My household is 50% android, 50% OS X.

[will_1400]

XTree on my Turbo XT, rockin' Hercules graphics on a page white IBM monitor, baby. Playin' Wizardry V and SimCity and Test Drive to the break of dawn!

(I liked the white phosphorus monitor because it looked like a Mac's. )

Yes, yes, those are mandatory... but what about the System Shock series? IMO, if you haven't faced off against S.H.O.D.A.N., you're missing out on one of the top 5 best villians in gaming history.

/derail

[Tamara]

Yes, yes, those are mandatory... but what about the System Shock series?

/derail

Dude, I played that on my 486DX-66 off CD-ROM. That's not old school; that was, like, yesterday.

(While I was living on the houseboat back in Georgia, I had the 486 and a Mac SE/30 side-by-side on my desktop. Big pimpin'. I traded the guy who ran the local computer store a Browning BDM to get that Mac. I also used to find him 7.92x33 for his StG44...)

[derekb]

The argument that "once OS X gets popular, there will be viruses for it" could very easily be applied to Linux since Linux runs so many enterprise sites and therefore is popular yet seemingly less affected by malware by an order of magnitude than Windows.

Linux is also open-source, so there's at least as many guys looking at the code every day fixing major holes as there are trying to exploit those holes.

My own attempts to use macs always end poorly. I don't get along with the OS, I don't like the hardware design (or price!) and am generally contented to run a mix of win7 and linux wherever they make the most sense for me.

[LittleLebowski]

Linux is also open-source, so there's at least as many guys looking at the code every day fixing major holes as there are trying to exploit those holes.

I don't think that plays as big of a role as the Unix like design. Imagine in your head how many thousands of Linux servers there in the world. Do you really think they all get patched that fast?

I mean no offense to anyone in this thread but it's just odd how folks suspend all logic regarding operating systems when it comes to Apple and mainly over distaste over Apple's marketing or pricing.

[JV_]

My own attempts to use macs always end poorly. I don't get along with the OS, I don't like the hardware design (or price!) and am generally contented to run a mix of win7 and linux wherever they make the most sense for me.

+1

[LittleLebowski]

Windows 7 is the first Windows OS that I really don't notice and that gets out of my way and lets me work. XP was workable, Vista was an abortion, and now they are changing the UI completely for Windows 8.

Apple hardware goes through some abuse in my house. We are generally on a 5 year replacement cycle on laptops. The Macs hold up. Just don't run suspect scripts/programs with administrator privileges and you'll be fine.

[jslaker]

I just went the opposite direction. Went from a 2006 MBP to one of the new Vizio T+Ls.

Fact is, I've split time equally between Windows, OS X, and Linux for the past decade. I really don't care that much which I'm using. Most of my work anymore is cloud-based, so it matters even less today than it did 5 years ago.

And that's exactly the reason why I didn't buy another Mac. If the OS doesn't matter, then there's no point in me giving Apple a 50%+ premium. Vizio decided to break into the PC market at the perfect time for me, too. Clean, sturdy designs and they ship what Microsoft is calling Windows Signature, which is a nice way of saying they don't come with any pre-installed bloatware whatsoever. Taking a PC out of the box and being able to just use it was a bit of a culture shock.

Truth is, I'd probably be running Ubuntu on this for a couple of work-related things, but Linux support for the touchpad hardware is meh. I can still do what I want, Linux is just a bit easier for me to do a couple of things with.

In the next 5 years, I expect there to be even less difference between the major OSes. Native apps are dying, and I couldn't be happier about it.

[LittleLebowski]

The Vizios look very nice. I've been looking around for an Ultrabook. I'd prefer one in the 11" or so format with backlit keys and an SSD.

[NETim]

*NIX is da bomb.