Ars Technica churns out tech news articles faster than any service I know. And I follow ther outpout on Twitter. But sometimes they seem to just throw stuff out there without really giving much thought. Thus this article that points to a new Apple article that seems to indicate everyone should start using virus protection software (in spite of all their marketing hype that the Mac OS is invulnerable to virus attacks).The comments on the Ars Technica article are far more informative than the article itself. So, thank goodness for commentors.
Update: Looks like Apple took down the page because of the confusion it stirred up. I suppose it will replace it with a better written one.
The truth is no system is invulnerable. Some are just more so (various versions of Windows, for example). But the Mac OS has its own vulnerabilities. It’s main source of protection is still its lack of market share. No fun making a virus that attacks only 3% of the world’s computers. But as the Mac OS market share continues to grow, expect the attention by bad people to grow along with it. 8.9% market share isn’t bad
If you are looking for a free anti-virus program for Mac OS X check out ClamAVX.
Microsoft advertising is blurry in my misty memory, but it was notable for its lack of creativity. Apple’s advertising is hip, informative and funny.
8.9% of a trillion dollar market is still a lot of money. Don’t forget, they sell hardware and software. Dell only sells hardware. Microsoft only sells software. Apple’s profit margins are higher. They have tons of cash. And better advertising doesn’t necessarily = more money. Microsoft spent many millions on its recent Seinfeld/Gates/Mac v PC spin off and didn’t get much for it.
How can Apple afford such superior advertising with such a small slice of the market?