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1st Mac maybe last

Poki said:
Okay, so lets start:

1) The RAM-management on OSX IS better than on Windows. It's just that Lion needs more RAM than previous operating systems, so yes, you NEED 4 GB of RAM. That's why Apple made it so easy to swap it.
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If Lion NEEDS 4GB of ram, why in the blue hell are they shipping the mini with only 2GB? I thought Apple was all about the "user experience" and that their big advantage was making sure hardware and software worked well together? They sure failed with the entry level mini, that's for sure.

I owned a mini last year and it was absolutely comical how slow it ran on 2GB of ram. Completely unacceptable.
 
tshrimp said:
Wow. Well I have never posted on a forum before and been called ignorant so many times. I did hear that the Mac community didn't like when negative things were said, but I didn't expect this. I was excited about being a part of the mac community, but thought I would get more acceptance than this.

Please explain how I am ignorant?

1) Was told by Apple store that 2GB of ram is like 4GB. Searches on the web confirmed.
2) Was told by Apple store that iTunes was much better on Mac than on Windows. Searches on web confirmed.
3) Was told by Apple store that making a restore USB was doable. Coworker said same thing.

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I want to thank you and the others who gave me constructive information and didn't call me ignorant.

I am loving my Mac, and am excited about learning a new OS. I am doing as you said on Time Machine. I am moving files from one HD to another and will use this to try drive for Time Machine. I was thinking about partitioning it so I can use with Windows and Mac. it is a 500GB drive. How much space will I need for Time Machine?

Thanks again for everyones help.

Also I am liking Safari, but is there a better browser that is used by the mac community. I like Chrome (used on PC), but don't like the privacy policy.
Click to expand...

Don't let some on here get ya down. MacRumors has become an odd mix of people since the sudden popularity of Mac's from the iOS/iDevice market. It's tough when so many seem to use the anonymity of the internet to disrespect others; some forget we all started from the same place and needed help along the way - that is life. Hang in there! :)

As for the info, I only read a few posts but those that have been helpful are correct in their info. I used to work in Apple's retail stores as a Genius (before the iPhone and iPad were released, right through the time Apple switched to Intel processors) then in corporate. Many are correct, Mac's and OS X generally handle RAM better than Windows... until 10.7 "Lion".

Personally, as a developer, I run "Lion" and the previous OS 10.6 "Snow Leopard" on my 12-Core Mac Pro with 16GB's RAM, and "Snow Leopard" 10.6.8 runs much faster - see my thread:

"Snow Leopard" and "Lion" comparison on 12-Core Mac Pro

Apple has begun implementing iOS features into OS X, and many generally do not like the lack of polish demonstrated through "Lion". If you can, I'd recommend getting a copy of "Snow Leopard" and trying it instead of "Lion", you might like it much better.

As an aside, don't buy RAM from Apple, www.crucial.com, a fraction of the costs as Apple RAM is over priced, the only thing you should ever get with a new Mac is AppleCare. Also, if you want to save some $$$, use the online Education store as the prices drop and they don't check for student ID verification.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask and ignore those who take the time to insult you rather than assist, they don't speak for all of us. :)
 
Zendokan said:
You will never experience the performance drop when your antivirus software starts to autoscan again, because there's absolute no need for installing antivirus software.
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Yet. Those days are numbered. Frankly, when the virus writers set their sights on OSX my guess is it's going to be a bloodbath because in my experience (in IT with an installed user base of >3k users) barring a few truly technical people Apple users fit the clueless sheeple mold much more so than Windows users.

Not so much in a tech forum such as this, as this place is sought out and generally frequented by more technical types, but there are some really, really really dumb Apple users. Get that virus and it's going to be like lambs to the slaughter.
 
Ccrew said:
Yet. Those days are numbered. Frankly, when the virus writers set their sights on OSX my guess is it's going to be a bloodbath because in my experience (in IT with an installed user base of >3k users) barring a few truly technical people Apple users fit the clueless sheeple mold much more so than Windows users.

Not so much in a tech forum such as this, as this place is sought out and generally frequented by more technical types, but there are some really, really really dumb Apple users. Get that virus and it's going to be like lambs to the slaughter.
Click to expand...

Absolutely agree. I am running Sophos anti virus. Haven't noticed any performance hits but then I don't push my mini very hard at all. But I don't expect it will be a problem.
 
Ccrew said:
Yet. Those days are numbered. Frankly, when the virus writers set their sights on OSX my guess is it's going to be a bloodbath because in my experience (in IT with an installed user base of >3k users) barring a few truly technical people Apple users fit the clueless sheeple mold much more so than Windows users.

Not so much in a tech forum such as this, as this place is sought out and generally frequented by more technical types, but there are some really, really really dumb Apple users. Get that virus and it's going to be like lambs to the slaughter.
Click to expand...

http://seekingalpha.com/article/52722-the-mac-os-x-malware-myth-continues

Ccrew said:
but there are some really, really really dumb Apple users. Get that virus and it's going to be like lambs to the slaughter
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Percentage wise there are less "really, really really dumb Apple users" than "really, really really dumb Windows users".

The reason is the costprice of Apple systems (Macs, iPads, iPhones, iPods) and while the prices dropped considerly over the years, they are still in the higher regions of the price range where they compete with the premium class of Wintel PCs.
The averige customer in this section has most of the time a college/university background and/or his own business.
This is also the demograph where the least "bloodspill" occurs when a virus wreaks havoc in the Windows community.

So where and when will this "be like lambs to the slaughter" happen? Keeping in guard with the design of UNIX and the averige profile of higher consumer goods buyers (Mactel and Wintel).
 
Martyimac said:
I am running Sophos anti virus.
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Sophos should be avoided, as it could actually increase your Mac's vulnerability, as described here and here.

You don't need any 3rd party antivirus app to keep your Mac malware-free. Macs are not immune to malware, but no true viruses exist in the wild that can run on Mac OS X, and there never have been any since it was released over 10 years ago. If you practice safe computing, the only malware in the wild that can affect Mac OS X is a handful of trojans, which cannot infect your Mac unless you actively install them, and they can be easily avoided with some basic education, common sense and care in what software you install. Also, Mac OS X Snow Leopard and Lion have anti-malware protection built in, further reducing the need for 3rd party antivirus apps.
  1. Make sure your built-in Mac firewall is enabled in System Preferences > Security > Firewall

  2. Uncheck "Open "safe" files after downloading" in Safari > Preferences > General

  3. Uncheck "Enable Java" in Safari > Preferences > Security. Leave this unchecked until you visit a trusted site that requires Java, then re-enable only for your visit to that site. (This is not to be confused with JavaScript, which you should leave enabled.)

  4. Check your DNS settings by reading this.

  5. Be careful to only install software from trusted, reputable sites. Never install pirated software. If you're not sure about an app, ask in this forum before installing.

  6. Never let someone else have physical access to install anything on your Mac.

  7. Don't open files that you receive from unknown or untrusted sources.

  8. Make sure all network, email, financial and other important passwords are complex, including upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters.

  9. Always keep your Mac and application software updated. Use Software Update for your Mac software. For other software, it's safer to get updates from the developer's site or from the menu item "Check for updates", rather than installing from any notification window that pops up while you're surfing the web.
That's all you need to do to keep your Mac completely free of any virus, trojan, spyware, keylogger, or other malware. You don't need any 3rd party software to keep your Mac secure.
 
Ccrew said:
Yet. Those days are numbered. Frankly, when the virus writers set their sights on OSX my guess is it's going to be a bloodbath because in my experience (in IT with an installed user base of >3k users) barring a few truly technical people Apple users fit the clueless sheeple mold much more so than Windows users.

Not so much in a tech forum such as this, as this place is sought out and generally frequented by more technical types, but there are some really, really really dumb Apple users. Get that virus and it's going to be like lambs to the slaughter.
Click to expand...

While I agree with computer usage literacy, though I can't repair a car, but can drive it, I can't repair an elevator, but can use it, the marketshare argument is not that valid.
Don't you think, that writing a virus for an OS, that has been virus free for a decade, is an enticing piece of work to gain notoriety and be famous?

The Mac OS X Malware Myth Continues
 
miles01110 said:
But occasionally it helps. There's no reason not to recommend ClamXav. Thorough and zero overhead when not launched.
Click to expand...
I agree that ClamXav is one of the best choices for those who insist on running antivirus, since it isn't a resource hog, detects both Mac and Windows malware and doesn't run with elevated privileges. You can run scans when you choose, rather than leaving it running all the time, slowing your system. ClamXav has a Sentry feature which, if enabled, will use significant system resources to constantly scan. Disable the Sentry feature. You don't need it. Also, when you first install ClamXav, as with many antivirus apps, it may perform an initial full system scan, which will consume resources. Once the initial scan is complete, periodic on-demand scans will have much lower demands on resources.
 
"Thanks for the links, but that does not create a full recovery USB drive. That method just creates another web based install."

You would do much better by creating a "full clone" of your internal drive on an external source, than by creating a "recovery USB drive".

A full clone will have all your data on it, as well as being able to restore your internal drive to "where it was".

You can put one of these together for peanuts, particularly if you have a spare SATA drive laying around.

Just get one of these:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=usb+sata+dock&x=0&y=0
(many items shown, they all work the same, just pick one you like that's cheap)

And download the FREE "CarbonCopyCloner" app from:
http://www.bombich.com
(one of the best pieces of Mac software out there)

You'll also need a "bare" SATA drive.

Put the drive in the dock, connect it to the Mac, turn the dock on.
Initialize the drive with Disk Utility.
Launch CCC and pick your internal drive from the left. Pick your target drive on the right.
Choose a full clone.

The result will be an EXACT COPY of your internal drive, and you can boot from it right from the USB/SATA dock.

You can also use CCC to maintain the clone via incremental backups.

This will be VERY handy to have close by in a moment of need....
 
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Lynn Belvedere said:
If Lion NEEDS 4GB of ram, why in the blue hell are they shipping the mini with only 2GB? I thought Apple was all about the "user experience" and that their big advantage was making sure hardware and software worked well together? They sure failed with the entry level mini, that's for sure.

I owned a mini last year and it was absolutely comical how slow it ran on 2GB of ram. Completely unacceptable.
Click to expand...

I believe they installed only 2 gb so to keep the price down (Some hate sticker shock you know) as do some other manufactures for same reason, and we the user will install more later. This is no biggie in my opinion since many have some knowledge of ram and computer OS needs.

Its not a big deal and those that complain about putting in additional 2 gb or more ram are just beating a dead horse and acting like its the end of the world. Its not, so just install more ram if needed and be done with this child like ranting. Other manufactures do the same or are you a noob and need some hand holding ?
 
simsaladimbamba said:
Don't you think, that writing a virus for an OS, that has been virus free for a decade, is an enticing piece of work to gain notoriety and be famous?
Click to expand...

I'll agree with the "creds" for being the first out there.

As to your malware myth link, while I can partially agree with the premise, that link dates back to Leopard and a lot of ideas have changed since then.

Thing is though on the market share, the virus/malware writers are really only creating a tool for their own nefarious uses. Be it a botnet, or password exploit, or whatever, it really does make perfect sense to target the largest installed base. That certainly isn't OSX. Really a matter of targeting your resources for the largest return and at this time it's certainly Windows. Given there's a shift in that market I'd expect to see more targeted at OSX, although personally and professionally I think the next area targeted by malware will be mobile platforms. Apple will do better there given their closed ecosystem.
 
NunoBerny said:
https://www.macrumors.com/2012/04/05/600000-macs-worldwide-reportedly-infected-by-flashback-trojan/
Click to expand...

Yeah, you finally found one. Congrats. Mister GGJstudios, you have been properly debunked. Aren't you glad. No you don't need to post that "there is no virus' affecting maC os x' in pUbliC circulation" crap anymore.
I am so relieved. Now if Apple would finally remove those nasty batteries we have to calibrate twice a day, you would get to actually enjoy early retirement.

Ah, those bastards.
 
SR45 said:
I believe they installed only 2 gb so to keep the price down (Some hate sticker shock you know) as do some other manufactures for same reason, and we the user will install more later. This is no biggie in my opinion since many have some knowledge of ram and computer OS needs.

Its not a big deal and those that complain about putting in additional 2 gb or more ram are just beating a dead horse and acting like its the end of the world. Its not, so just install more ram if needed and be done with this child like ranting. Other manufactures do the same or are you a noob and need some hand holding ?
Click to expand...

100 plus points. Apple put the ram cost on the consumer they put in 2 sticks so you could boot test your machine. before you put in a pair of 4gb sticks total of 8gb for under 40 bucks!! This decision saved you the buyer money!!!.

Here is a quick lesson in cost accounting. Hdds and ram sticks are commodities in some ways. For a consumer one or two sticks of ram one way or the other and the cost is not too bad. For apple 100's millions of sticks of ram is a lot of money if the price of ram takes a hit apple can lose or win big. Apple decided to avoid being in that game with ram.

We the consumer made a huge score on this as ram dropped like a mofo on a heroin overdose. Better then that with hdds apple took the hdd risk and we scored on that. Mac mini server with 2 x 750 hdds cost only 100 more then 2 x 500 hdds. When western digital flooded out the 750gb hdd in a mac server went up to 200 each retail apple kept the server price the same so that was another score for the mac buyer.
 
fa8362 said:
That's a trojan, not a virus.

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Apparently, he doesn't know the difference.
Click to expand...

To make myself clear, my intention was showing that (unfortunately) the Mac is not immune to anything.

Something that enters a computer and harms it in any way i, for me, a "virus".

I don't understand why the smart replies.
 
NunoBerny said:
To make myself clear, my intention was showing that (unfortunately) the Mac is not immune to anything.

Something that enters a computer and harms it in any way i, for me, a "virus".

I don't understand why the smart replies.
Click to expand...

No one says, the Mac is immune to anything, but there is an actual difference between a virus (no need for your approval to install) and a trojan (you need to approve its installation/execution), thus saying something is a virus, while it is a trojan, is just misinformation, and others shouldn't suffer because you are ignorant.
 
NunoBerny said:
To make myself clear, my intention was showing that (unfortunately) the Mac is not immune to anything.

Something that enters a computer and harms it in any way i, for me, a "virus".

I don't understand why the smart replies.
Click to expand...

Well, if your intent was to demonstrate that you have no idea what a virus is, you succeeded.
 
simsaladimbamba said:
No one says, the Mac is immune to anything, but there is an actual difference between a virus (no need for your approval to install) and a trojan (you need to approve its installation/execution), thus saying something is a virus, while it is a trojan, is just misinformation, and others shouldn't suffer because you are ignorant.
Click to expand...

You and your buddy GGJ are still wrong on this and it is you two who are putting out misinformation and causing a false sense of security for users. If your system is not patched, all you need to do to get this latest trojan is visit a web page. That's it! You don't have to "actively install" anything as GGJ insists and you don't have to "approve" anything as you have said here.
 
simsaladimbamba said:
No one says, the Mac is immune to anything, but there is an actual difference between a virus (no need for your approval to install) and a trojan (you need to approve its installation/execution), thus saying something is a virus, while it is a trojan, is just misinformation, and others shouldn't suffer because you are ignorant.
Click to expand...

Ok. Thank you. I'm now enlightened.
Next time I'll be sure to ask for your advice before I say something.

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fa8362 said:
Well, if your intent was to demonstrate that you have no idea what a virus is, you succeeded.
Click to expand...

I still don't understand why you think it's important if call it a virus or a trojan. They are both harmful and that's why I mentioned the article.
If you didn't read things literally, you would have understood the POINT of my post.
A trojan will infect you, since it's "mission" is to fool you into a sense of security (the POINT I was referring to: you are still eligible to get infected) .

Given the agressiveness of your reply, I may be losing my time answering you, though. Ignorant me.
 
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