Date:         Fri, 1 Feb 2008 19:21:49 -0800
Reply-To:     Shawn Wright <vwdiesels@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Shawn Wright <vwdiesels@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: NVC - MS vs Mac
In-Reply-To:  <b86178850802011728rdcafa7m7f17f76bdd362965@mail.gmail.com>
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On 1 Feb 2008 at 18:28, honemastert <honemastert@GMAIL.COM> wrote:

> ** David Kao <dtkao0205@YAHOO.COM> writes **
>
>
> >>My PC running Win2k professional has not crashed once for at least 2 years.
> >>.... But it was hit by viruses twice recently. It probably has received a ton
> >>of spyware or adware. Had Spybot installed but it never killed all offenders.
> >>The moment it cleaned up more will be back in.
> >>
> >>The first virus attack, actually a spyware, caused me to give up and had to
> >>reinstall everything which of course was not everything. I lost some weight.
> >>The 2nd one took me 3 days to kill. That was a bit of luck. Not sure if Mac
> >>will be any different.
>
> My Mother and Mother-in Law who are now Macintosh users asked
> the same question.. "Which anti spyware/virus software do I run"
>
> To which I answered.. "none"
>
> I've been using Apple Macintosh computers since 1995.  I have *NEVER*
> (and never is a strong word) been hit by any virus/spyware and the
> like.  Again I repeat *NEVER*

I've been running Microsoft OSes since DOS 1.x (although I skipped the win9x fiasco by
diverting to OS/2 and then back to NT...) and I've never had a virus either. I don't use IE, and
just avoid the obvious virus traps. I like a lot of things about Mac hardware, but I have just
never clicked with the OS, I'm just strange I guess. My background is more
unix/linux/netware, so flashy GUIs don't really excite me much, whether it be OSX or Vista...

A disconcerting trend in the past 12 months is the high failure rates on MacBooks. Our
student population at work consists of 375 machines, of which 325 are PCs, the rest Macs,
most of then Macbooks or MB Pros. This week alone saw four MacBooks go in for warranty
repairs, and one MacBook Pro less than a month old with boot sector issues. By comparison,
we had two Windows laptops (both virus/spyware issues of course), but no PC hardware
issues. We have some students with Macbooks on their 4th time in for warranty service. By
comparison, our directly managed fleet of Dell PC/laptops consists of about 300 systems,
with an average of one hardware issue per month. The current MacBook failure rates remind
me of the PowerMac Performa problems about 10 years ago.

I might consider a MacBook (for dual boot), were it not for the above, and the outrageous
price for the Pro models. I bought a Dell 17" laptop for a co-worker for less than 1/2 the price
of the MB Pro with the same specs, and it's a great machine. The machine it replaced was a
3 year old Dell with amazing 15" screen (1920x1200 resolution), which still works flawlessly. I
just don't have the confidence the current MacBooks will last 3 years...


Shawn Wright
http://members.shaw.ca/vwdiesels
'88 Westy 1.6TD 5 speed
'85 Jetta Diesel 1.6NA