Buying Mac Mini just for Logic...

[Kim Lajoie]

I did the google search, and as far as I could find, there are about 40 known viruses for Mac, and they're all for the archaic OS9. There are no known viruses for OSX.

Of course, Mac users are still susceptible to receiving spam and Microsoft macro malware (not so much anymore though)... but you said worms and viruses. Which ones?

Forever,




Kim.

[UltraJv]

Popular operating systems are the targets for viruses. Macosx viruses are not dead, its based on Unix/Linux - your troubles are only just about to begin. With the mess that the AU audio system is in currently - I wouldnt shout too loud

[Urs]

Popular operating systems are the targets for viruses. Macosx viruses are not dead, its based on Unix/Linux - your troubles are only just about to begin.

Why?

With the mess that the AU audio system is in currently

What's wrong with AU?

Urs

[spaceman]

I did the google search, and as far as I could find, there are about 40 known viruses for Mac, and they're all for the archaic OS9. There are no known viruses for OSX.

Of course, Mac users are still susceptible to receiving spam and Microsoft macro malware (not so much anymore though)... but you said worms and viruses. Which ones?

Forever,

Kim.

you're right about those viruses (the cases I was talking about were indeed OS9)

Recewntly it's usually spyware and other stuff that turn your mac into a spam server etc..

http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/security/0 ... 062,00.htm

http://www.sophos.com/virusinfo/articles/renepo.html

http://www.securemac.com/

http://www.macdevcenter.com/pub/a/mac/2 ... urity.html

you need to learn how to do a better google search

the fact stays that even a Mac can be misused and if mac users stay this relaxed about security you're going to be surprised one day

[UltraJv]

In reply to URS about MAcosx /AU, a lot of users feel that too much effort is going into garageband and not into fixing issues within logic. When AU was introduced, every plug had to be rewritten to use it, the chaos its still causing is making people angry.

[Urs]

you need to learn how to do a better google search

If you looked closer, you'd have found some entertaining articles about Opener/Renepo. It's been a hoax. You basically have to install that script manually in you StartupItems folder

Of course, there are vulnerabilities unveiled from time to time. But there has always been a Security Update before anyone bothered writing an exploit. I remember the mp3 bug, where the .app extension could be turned invisible, so that you think you doubleclick a song when in fact is was an app.

Mac users have to be careful like anybody else, and keep up with security issues. Nevertheless, none of the 50000 screensavers that entered my spam folder actually ran on my machine. And I'm very greatful to Microsoft that VB Script and Active X do not run on MacOS X browsers and email applications.

I actually find it funny that a Microsoft Office X [k] on Limewire erases the user directories. Kinda hassle that freeloaders deserve IMHO

Urs

[spaceman]

well there's no doubt they're 1000 times more secure than PC but I believe that's just because no one has bothered so far

but the more popular Mac becomes, the more interesting it is for virus writers to move their attention to that platform (look at pda's and mobile phones, and it's not just the MS OS, Linux based OS too)

It would be stupid to think that virus writers for some reason wouldn't target Macs. It's not the holy platform which will strike vengeance and big bolts of lightning upon whoever tries to harm it. Eventually, as the Apple's market share increases, so will their share of malicious crap.. and a lot of Mac users will be caught with their pants down

[whyterabbyt]

UltraJv quoth Macosx viruses are not dead, its based on Unix/Linux

Nope, its based on a BSD API layer sitting on a MACH kernel. No Linux whatsoever. And not, strictly speaking, a Unix kernel, either.

[Urs]

In reply to URS about MAcosx /AU, a lot of users feel that too much effort is going into garageband and not into fixing issues within logic. When AU was introduced, every plug had to be rewritten to use it, the chaos its still causing is making people angry.

Yes, that's right.

A major reason for the hassle was the half-heartedly approach by some pc-centric companies who just couldn't get it right.

But this has changed dramatically with the advent of Logic 7. An Audio Unit has to pass some tests (AUValidation Tool) before it can be used. Funnily, even though the AUValidation Tool has been available to developers for 18 months before Logic 7 came out, a big number of AUs failed. This raised a lot of pressure on those lazy developers, and now there's hardly any AU left that doesn't work properly.

It's been a hard cut, but hardly any crash of Logic 7 (or any other host) is due to a plugin anymore. This is a huge progress for all musicians using AUs.

From my perspective (being a developer), AU has a lot of advantages over other plugin formats. I won't go into details, but my current task of porting stuff back to other formats is a major pita for me.

Cheers,

Urs

[UltraJv]

whyterabbyt I wouldnt argue with Apple, they say its based on UNIX :

http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/unix/

[Urs]

Eventually, as the Apple's market share increases

I see your point. But the market share still goes down, right

Nevertheless, many many many ways of exploitation that work on Windows will certainly never work on MacOS X.

Urs

[spaceman]

Eventually, as the Apple's market share increases

I see your point. But the market share still goes down, right

Nevertheless, many many many ways of exploitation that work on Windows will certainly never work on MacOS X.

Urs

they're a bloody inventive bunch though, those hackers/virus writers

[whyterabbyt]

UltraJv quoth whyterabbyt I wouldnt argue with Apple, they say its based on UNIX :

http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/unix/

Can you explain exactly where this contradicts what I said?

The BSD API is the 'UNIX foundation' they talk about. The MACH kernel is not a UNIX kernel.

Thats why they say 'UNIX-based' and 'UNIX foundation' not 'UNIX'.

Neither of these are Linux in any way.

[UltraJv]

Sorry but apart from a few geek differences, Linux and Unix are the same.

[Kim Lajoie]

Sorry but apart from a few geek differences, Linux and Unix are the same.

Even if you ignore the geek differences, Linux belongs to the UNIX family. That is to say, UNIX is not an operating system, but a family of operating systems. Even if Linux were UNIX, there's no way that UNIX is Linux.

Forever,




Kim.