wgnoyes Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 (edited) Well, mine seem to "just work", although I don't connect to an active directory-driven network. (Have to try that sometime.) I keep VM and windows around for one thing and one thing only: ezwinscore, and I've never seen windows run better than when under vmware fusion. (Even under bootcamp, as my son-in-law told me tonight.) I still regard viruses (something which actually modifies system code and self-replicates itself) as different from malware, and it seems both can be avoided by running your normal day-to-day stuff under a non-adminstrator-level userid, and just watch what you click, browse to, or download, and avoid actual java if at all possible. Edited March 30, 2014 by wgnoyes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alma Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 (edited) Malware is the broad category. Viruses are a type of malware. Edited March 30, 2014 by alma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wgnoyes Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 (edited) Not to me. A virus would be something that somehow gets SU status and goes in and screws with or replaces program files in /Applications, /Library, or /System or another program-code-containing directory. That's far less likely to happen in os x (it's unix, after all) if you're careful about what you download and install, don't use the compiled java plug-in (which is no longer shipped with os x), and also run as a matter of practice in normal user mode, instead of always logging on as an administrator-level user, which admittedly is what apple and MS both set you up as by default. You can also, in Mavericks and maybe 1 or 2 versions prior, set the level of security that controls whether or not the system is going to let you run a given app based on where it came from, the choices being the 'Mac App Store', 'Mac App Store and identified developers', or 'anywhere'. I think the default setting as shipped is option 2. Edited March 30, 2014 by wgnoyes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alma Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 Not to me. A virus would be something that somehow gets SU status and goes in and screws with or replaces program files in /Applications, /Library, or /System or another program-code-containing directory. That's far less likely to happen in os x (it's unix, after all) if you're careful about what you download and install, don't use the compiled java plug-in (which is no longer shipped with os x), and also run as a matter of practice in normal user mode, instead of always logging on as an administrator-level user, which admittedly is what apple and MS both set you up as by default. You can also, in Mavericks and maybe 1 or 2 versions prior, set the level of security that controls whether or not the system is going to let you run a given app based on where it came from, the choices being the 'Mac App Store', 'Mac App Store and identified developers', or 'anywhere'. I think the default setting as shipped is option 2. I know it isn't the point of the thread overall but you are wrong about your definition of malware (malicious code) and viruses. As I stated previously, viruses are a type of malware. According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication 800-83, "Guide to Malware Incident Prevention and Handling", a Virus is defined: A form of malware that is designed to self-replicate make copies of itself and distribute the copies to other files, programs, or computers ( ). Wikipedia agrees that viruses are malware, "Malware includes computer viruses, ransomware, worms, trojan horses, rootkits, keyloggers, dialers, spyware, adware, malicious BHOs, rogue security software, and other malicious programs; the majority of active malware threats are usually worms or trojans rather than viruses. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malware ). " While I am unsure about many things that I post here this is an area where I have high confidence in the accuracy of my response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wgnoyes Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 (edited) Well, I think of them differently and really am not interested in arguing definitions. Regardless and AGAIN, watch what you download, don't run java if you can possibly stand not to, and stop running as an administrator-level user by default. Those are good practices regardless of your choice of operating system, don't you agree? Edited March 30, 2014 by wgnoyes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alma Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 Convention and national standards aside I guess you are entitled to think of them however you want. I definitely agree with your recommendations. Those are best practices for Mac and even better practice for PC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wgnoyes Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enroute Posted March 31, 2014 Author Share Posted March 31, 2014 I know it isn't the point of the thread overall but ... Meh, doesn't bother me at all... it's an excellent learning lab here....I see some of the MacBooks will be made/assembled in TX now-good deal... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wgnoyes Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 Really? Huh. I know the new mac pros are assembled domestically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pasley Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 I haven't understood a word of the last several posts but my iMac continues to keep chugging along. : ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wgnoyes Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 Mine actually gave me trouble some weeks back. Came home and it was deader than a doornail. Trip to the apple store to get the power supply replaced; it's back and working again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enroute Posted April 3, 2014 Author Share Posted April 3, 2014 Really? Huh. I know the new mac pros are assembled domestically. Whoops, yeah, my lack of apple core nomenclature: It's the Pros which are from TX...It would be like saying the FN FS2000 and the PS90 are the same platform....my bad. MS has put a momentary lock on my "Security Essentials" PC app., until I order something from them via their links? I can trade-in my now defunct MS unit and Office software through Clover, but only for MS purchasing credits. Thank You for all the assistance and guidance here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wgnoyes Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 MS has put a momentary lock on my "Security Essentials" PC app., until I order something from them via their links? ... Huh?! WHAT?!? I've never heard of even MS stooping that damn low! Try uninstalling and reinstalling and see what happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.Hayden Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 MS has put a momentary lock on my "Security Essentials" PC app., until I order something from them via their links? I can trade-in my now defunct MS unit and Office software through Clover, but only for MS purchasing credits. I'm not saying it is.. but this may be a virus... I'd scan and check as soon as possible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alma Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 (edited) MS has put a momentary lock on my "Security Essentials" PC app., until I order something from them via their links? I can trade-in my now defunct MS unit and Office software through Clover, but only for MS purchasing credits. I'm not saying it is.. but this may be a virus... I'd scan and check as soon as possible Yeah, Microsoft Security Essentials is free. What you have is a malicious code infection called "Fake Antivirus" for FakeAV for short. It's not a good sign and don't pay the money. At this point the chances are that your actual antivirus has been disabled by the malicious code. You can try the Trend Micro Fake AV removal tool but others are out there as well http://esupport.trendmicro.com/solution/en-us/1056510.aspx Once a system is infected with one kind of malicious code it is very difficult to determine how many other pieces of bad code may have been installed. Safest bet is to back up your documents, wipe the hard drive clean, and reinstall your operating system. Edited April 4, 2014 by alma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enroute Posted April 8, 2014 Author Share Posted April 8, 2014 MS has put a momentary lock on my "Security Essentials" PC app., until I order something from them via their links? ... Huh?! WHAT?!? I've never heard of even MS stooping that damn low! Try uninstalling and reinstalling and see what happens. I used the kindly supplied detectors, PC is clear. It was MS, doing a re-direct to their own site for purchasing upgrades: Essentials being "free" had nothing to do with it wanting to sell me their "upgrades", icon went to amber from green with a warning and the re-direct, and of course support has cancelled so it is now red. No biggie. In the purchase processes now for Apple product. Thanks again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wgnoyes Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Windows XP? Yeah, that just dropped support. Though I wouldn't have thought they'd be so crass as to also cut off virus definition updates for MS SE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alma Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Yeah, I wasn't thinking that this could be the popups that started on XP last month warning users that support was ending. I am sure many have been confused by them but regardless of which new operating system you move to you would certainly be long overdo for an upgrade if you are seeing those warnings from Microsoft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enroute Posted February 16, 2015 Author Share Posted February 16, 2015 New job gives us a little discount on Apple products, went to a 5s phone and just got our Mac 21.5" with 2.9 Ghz.....what a difference... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Front Man Posted February 6, 2016 Share Posted February 6, 2016 I tried an iPhone for a month. Couldn't stand it trying to boss me around. If I had everything Apple I might not have felt that way. But for now I will avoid anything Apple. But I love Blackberries too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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