Why do PC users hate Apple?

[UltimaLink]

i was being an fanboi get it?

but honestly, point me towards a Mac virus (cookies dont count)


i browse lotsa crap. i have yet to get a virus in my 20+ years of using macs (with no firewalls/antivirus).

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Mac-Virus---A-Brief-History&id=4174801

Read through it. I'll admit, getting a virus on a mac is rare, but if macs ever do become more popular, you better find a virus protection.

 

[DoFoT9]

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Mac-Virus---A-Brief-History&id=4174801

Read through it. I'll admit, getting a virus on a mac is rare, but if macs ever do become more popular, you better find a virus protection.

i count about 7 all up lol. compared to the billions for Windows computers. and only 2 of them would still be prevalent today IF that, apple would have built some sort of security into stop them from infecting computers (somehow).

its funny that a few of them are apple scripts

i guess thats the good thing about coming from *nix with +30 years of history and security

 

[JustSomeDude]

i was being an fanboi get it?

but honestly, point me towards a Mac virus (cookies dont count)


i browse lotsa crap. i have yet to get a virus in my 20+ years of using macs (with no firewalls/antivirus).

I think this is a nice part of the mac experience, but I think that it should be downplayed a bit. While there aren't any os x viruses out in the wild (at least, as far as anybody knows), there does exist malware, such as trojans.

The average user doesn't care about what distinguishes one malware type from another - they call all of it viruses. Yes, there is little malware for the mac, but, knowing what a typical person considers to be a computer virus, it is somewhat disingenuous to claim the mac virus free.

However, I do tell some of friends to get a mac because they will have significantly less issues with malware (and for other reasons as well).

 

[DoFoT9]

I think this is a nice part of the mac experience, but I think that it should be downplayed a bit. While there aren't any os x viruses out in the wild (at least, as far as anybody knows), there does exist malware, such as trojans.

The average user doesn't care about what distinguishes one malware type from another - they call all of it viruses. Yes, there is little malware for the mac, but, knowing what a typical person considers to be a computer virus, it is somewhat disingenuous to claim the mac virus free.

However, I do tell some of friends to get a mac because they will have significantly less issues with malware (and for other reasons as well).

good point(s). they all come under malicious software, and you cant deny that there isnt malicious software on Macs - you would be stupid to!

cookies count too, they are the most threatening these days. but yes, Macs are normally referred to as more "stable and secure" then windows computers - i guess thats why they are becoming more and more popular these days.

 

[archipellago]

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2193640,00.asp

Apple Rules, Or Else

I could probably write 15,000 words about how Apple fans drive me nuts, but that won't do anything but make my inbox fill up faster. Let me break it down to a few base observations. Again, these don't represent every Mac user—just the loudest, most obnoxious ones. Unfortunately, they're prevalent enough to paint all Mac users in the same light.

1. "Microsoft Just Copies Everyone and Buys Everything." This common belief held by Mac users is not only factually incorrect, it turns a blind eye to the many ways in which Apple fails to, ahem, "Think Different." The way Dashboard in OS X rips off Konfabulator and other widget engines predating it, Spaces knocks off many prior Virtual Desktop features, or how that fancy CoverFlow stuff was purchased from third-party developer Steel Skies. Many popular Apple ads are knock-offs. The "Hello" iPhone ad blatantly rips off Christian Marclay's film short "Telephones." Lugs actually issued a cease and desist order to get Apple to stop the iPod ad that was nearly identical to their Eminem ad. Their ad boasting the new Intel chips clones the music video for "Such Great Heights" by The Postal Service.

2. Every time someone mentions a competitor to something Apple does well, the Mac cultists flood message boards and inboxes with snickering messages to the effect of "why do they even try?" Take, for example, Zune. Microsoft announces the new Zunes, which on an objective level offer a very competitive feature set to comparably-priced iPods, and which haven't been judged on a subjective level yet because they aren't released until mid-November and no independent reviewer has actually used them for any length of time. I got plenty of mail from the Mac faithful claiming that iPod reigns supreme, is obviously superior (none of them have used Zunes, old or new), and that Microsoft shouldn't even try to compete. Excuse me? Shouldn't even try to compete? Are we actually arguing against healthy market competition here? The healthy response should be, "well maybe this will give Apple some competition to push them toward offering a subscription store, WiFi on all models, and WiFi syncing." Instead, the competition that can end in nothing but better products for consumers of either product is met with childish derision.

3. Apple fans have an attitude where, when Apple does something bad, it's okay, or at least understandable. When other companies, especially arch-rival Microsoft, does the same exact thing, it's a travesty and obviously clear evidence of why the courts should take them down. When Microsoft bundles its own software with Windows, it's time for antitrust litigation. When Apple does the same with Mac computer or OS X, they're not shutting out competitors—they're adding value. Open source rules, and Windows is bad for being closed, except of course for how OS X is closed, because that's okay. And nobody gives credit to Microsoft for having a smartphone platform that allows for real 3rd party applications, instead celebrating the clever ways in which hackers have managed to get around Apple's "not on my phone" policy to do the same. Until they update the phone and brick it, of course. You know, AT&T refusing to provide unlock codes for iPhones is against federal regulations, right? Where's the outrage?

I could go on, but you get the point. Hell, I lost most of the real Mac cultists on the first page. They've already snorted at my experiences with, well, them and have fired off an angry "you're a biased shill that obviously doesn't get it" email to me. Ironically, this only proved my point.

Yeah, I like working in OS X. I'm looking forward to Leopard. And yes, I find myself using Boot Camp a lot, spending half my time in Vista on my Macbook Pro. Both OSes have merits. Apple deserves plenty of credit for a lot of what they do, and genuinely puts out some great products. Hell, there's nothing even close to the value, functionality, and elegance of iLife on Windows. But the more time I spend on the Mac, the more I end up interacting with a group of people who obviously and transparently treat their favorite company by a different set of rules than everyone else. And worse, don't realize it or won't admit it. To all you Mac users that are calm, rational, objective, and fair: god bless you. Now, could you please give the Cult members a hard kick in the ass? They're making you look bad.

 

[archipellago]

good point(s). they all come under malicious software, and you cant deny that there isnt malicious software on Macs - you would be stupid to!

cookies count too, they are the most threatening these days. but yes, Macs are normally referred to as more "stable and secure" then windows computers - i guess thats why they are becoming more and more popular these days.

http://www.macworld.com/article/57616/2007/04/daizovi.html

http://lifehacker.com/5518787/famous-hacker-calls-windows-more-secure-than-mac

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/hack-windows-security-snow-leopard,8704.html


that just 3 people who state that by design, Windows is more secure than OSX.

more and more popular?? well when you consider that the OSX marketshare is still around 5% worldwide you will know why the malware issue on OSX is very small.

fact is that if the user acts recklessly on a computer they will get in trouble, that is OS irrelevant.

Apple's marketing spin on OSX security is just like the rest of their advertising...lies..

 

[DoFoT9]

3. Apple fans have an attitude where, when Apple does something bad, it's okay, or at least understandable.

hahaha i dont know if you hadnt noticed, but have you seen the anger from the iP4 threads? its driving me insane! FS is chockas

Yeah, I like working in OS X. I'm looking forward to Leopard. And yes, I find myself using Boot Camp a lot, spending half my time in Vista on my Macbook Pro. Both OSes have merits. Apple deserves plenty of credit for a lot of what they do, and genuinely puts out some great products. Hell, there's nothing even close to the value, functionality, and elegance of iLife on Windows.

that's personally why ive stayed away from the Windows computers! i was born into the Mac world, grew up with Finder 4 and went from there. got my first PC when i was about 14 and played with XP - never really got into it. i have cert training for 2003 blaablaa but still i prefer my Macs for home usage. im not exactly sure what it is but its just an enjoyable experience, and sure - i get offended when somebody accuses all Mac users of being stuck up asses.

 

[chrono1081]

I get this all the time. I had a coworker of mine storm out of the office because he didn't like the iPad on my desk. Child-ish....

Anyway here is what I think:

-PC users think macs are overpriced and for some reason that makes Apple evil in their minds. (I won't go into the facts (yes, facts) of why macs are not over priced it takes too long).

-PC users have this idea in their heads that Apple thinks they are the perfect company and no one is better then them etc etc. Whats funny is you never see Apple say this, you only see Apple haters say this.

-PC users seem to feel insulted if you talk about how much you like your mac and how you loved switching from Windows. It sounds silly, and it is, but it happens.

-Windows is all they know and they think the whole world revolves around windows and that any other OS is inferior because its not the "standard". If its not the standard, you must be wrong for using it

Honestly, IMO it boils down to jealousy. They don't like to see something they aren't using succeed. Computers are like sports teams and rarely does anyone want to root for the losing team. (I'm not saying MS is losing, I'm just making a statement).

 

[Piggie]

Just a serious question if I may.

If you have a Mac and don't run any sort of Virus/Trojan checker/protection.

How are you supposed to know if you unfortunately happen to get one?

Perhaps installing some dodgy software for example?

And please don't answer with "don't install dodgy software then"

I'm sure there are just any many Mac owners who download from iffy sights from time to time as there are PC owners.

This is a serious question.

 

[Vylen]

Just a serious question if I may.

If you have a Mac and don't run any sort of Virus/Trojan checker/protection.

How are you supposed to know if you unfortunately happen to get one?

Perhaps installing some dodgy software for example?

And please don't answer with "don't install dodgy software then"

I'm sure there are just any many Mac owners who download from iffy sights from time to time as there are PC owners.

This is a serious question.

You're not meant to know - well, at least that's the general purpose of a virus/trojan. What good is malicious software if you know it's there.

 

[DoFoT9]

How are you supposed to know if you unfortunately happen to get one?
=

anything classified as a "stupid" virus would just slow down the computer, use up RAM, delete files, eject the DVD drive, put the computer to sleep etc.

"proper" viruses - you wouldnt notice them

 

[Piggie]

anything classified as a "stupid" virus would just slow down the computer, use up RAM, delete files, eject the DVD drive, put the computer to sleep etc.

"proper" viruses - you wouldnt notice them

Thanks to you both for the level headed replies.

So, from the sound of in (in reality) you should be running a Virus/Spyware checker on a Mac now, as it you don't it's really akin to burying your head in the sand.

Perhaps you could say, a PC owner went out to sleep with 100 women, any one of them could have a virus. So he wears a condom so he does not get infected.

A Mac owner, only sleeps with 25 women (of a higher class) so is not at the same level of risk, so decides to trust to luck and not wear a condom, when one of the nicer ladies could have a virus, albeit a little less lightly than the PC owners ladies.

Or course, the best sollution would be to stick with the 1 partner always, but then we know PC and MAC people are both lightly to stray of the official path.

 

[DoFoT9]

Thanks to you both for the level headed replies.

So, from the sound of in (in reality) you should be running a Virus/Spyware checker on a Mac now, as it you don't it's really akin to burying your head in the sand.

Perhaps you could say, a PC owner went out to sleep with 100 women, any one of them could have a virus. So he wears a condom so he does not get infected.

A Mac owner, only sleeps with 25 women (of a higher class) so is not at the same level of risk, so decides to trust to luck and not wear a condom, when one of the nicer ladies could have a virus, albeit a little less lightly than the PC owners ladies.

Or course, the best sollution would be to stick with the 1 partner always, but then we know PC and MAC people are both lightly to stray of the official path.

i had a chuckle at that analogy. nicely done, but i feel you will get smoked for it - calling Windows viruses whores

its something like that, but the implications and the risks taken are still the same. always use protection, and always have backups

 

[sammich]

Thanks to you both for the level headed replies.

So, from the sound of in (in reality) you should be running a Virus/Spyware checker on a Mac now, as it you don't it's really akin to burying your head in the sand.

Perhaps you could say, a PC owner went out to sleep with 100 women, any one of them could have a virus. So he wears a condom so he does not get infected.

A Mac owner, only sleeps with 25 women (of a higher class) so is not at the same level of risk, so decides to trust to luck and not wear a condom, when one of the nicer ladies could have a virus, albeit a little less lightly than the PC owners ladies.

Or course, the best sollution would be to stick with the 1 partner always, but then we know PC and MAC people are both lightly to stray of the official path.

That analogy doesn't really work. If the ladies were pieces of software, and the viruses only worked for Windows, then somehow the analogy would need to fit OS X. Are OS X owners another type of species?

Also, some viruses get into the system and get removed by the AV. So the AV is a condom and the anti-viral?

Additionally, why would Mac users download less software?

 

[Vylen]

Thanks to you both for the level headed replies.

So, from the sound of in (in reality) you should be running a Virus/Spyware checker on a Mac now, as it you don't it's really akin to burying your head in the sand.

Perhaps you could say, a PC owner went out to sleep with 100 women, any one of them could have a virus. So he wears a condom so he does not get infected.

A Mac owner, only sleeps with 25 women (of a higher class) so is not at the same level of risk, so decides to trust to luck and not wear a condom, when one of the nicer ladies could have a virus, albeit a little less lightly than the PC owners ladies.

Or course, the best sollution would be to stick with the 1 partner always, but then we know PC and MAC people are both lightly to stray of the official path.

More or less.

IIRC, there was issue with some application that had its installer replaced with one that also installed malicious apps on the computer. These sorts of things are obviously hard to catch cause the installation applications on Mac OS X are meant to be "simple" and pretty much show you nothing. With this approach, what's worse is ones which require Administrator authentication - as they can be used to install rootkits on OS X. It might be that little harder to make a rootkit for OS X systems but not impossible. And the obviously scary thing about rootkits are that they can be impossible to find.

I took a course on Cryptography and Security. Each week a team set up tasks for everyone else to do on some subject. One week was on rootkits, and we were tasked with trying to find rootkits on a linux system. Started easy (for me) but got progressively harder all the way to virtually impossible. And we're computing students - we know our way around. Everyday users would be oblivious. AV software (assuming they're up to date) would help since compromised application installers would have a unique signature.

But, well, whatever. Peoples choices

</rant>

 

[Piggie]

That analogy doesn't really work. If the ladies were pieces of software, and the viruses only worked for Windows, then somehow the analogy would need to fit OS X. Are OS X owners another type of species?

Also, some viruses get into the system and get removed by the AV. So the AV is a condom and the anti-viral?

Additionally, why would Mac users download less software?

Well of course the PC ladies only carry viruses that could infect the PC guy

and the higher class ladies the Mac guy visits only carry viruses that could infect the mac guy.

The Mac guy is at a lesser risk, as it's less ladies and they look after themselves a bit better, but, still, one of them COULD still be carrying something nasty.

So do you feel lucky punk!

Or use a condom as at least you know you'll be safe.

 

[dexthageek]

The main reason for me purchasing Apple PCs & Laptops, is for the OS. OSX is the most stable of the available Operating Systems. If I could install OSX on a custom built PC (Legit, not hacked), I would have.

Even with that said, I still use a windows based PC for some tasks. I have the following machines on my network:

Windows 7 (Custom Built - Prescott P4 @ 3.2Ghz) Just died
MacBook Pro
Linux (Debian) Old Compaq
Old Acer Laptop WinXP
And thursday of this week. A brand new (refurb) 27'' i7

I can't wait!!!

 

[dexthageek]

I hate it when Apple Fanboys go on and on about Macs not getting viruses. The correct statement should be, "Right NOW they don't get viruses". But if Apple's market share on desktop sales continues to increase, the virus creator powers that be will make sure Macs are infected as well.

 

[Vylen]

I hate it when Apple Fanboys go on and on about Macs not getting viruses. The correct statement should be, "Right NOW they don't get viruses". But if Apple's market share on desktop sales continues to increase, the virus creator powers that be will make sure Macs are infected as well.

Even saying that would be incorrect. They get viruses right now - as shown above. However, that article is a bit crap (read: out of date).

This seems like a reasonable site: http://www.securemac.com/
And apparently two months ago there was an alert for a recent Trojan Horse. In fact, it does seem like there's a lot of trojan horses out there - honestly didn't expect that.

 

[dexthageek]

Even saying that would be incorrect. They get viruses right now - as shown above. However, that article is a bit crap (read: out of date).

This seems like a reasonable site: http://www.securemac.com/
And apparently two months ago there was an alert for a recent Trojan Horse. In fact, it does seem like there's a lot of trojan horses out there - honestly didn't expect that.

Even with all the viruses affecting Windows based PCs, I can only remember one time where one of my WinXP machines were infected with a Trojan, I did not have virus protection running on it. So 20 years a handful of machines, millions of viruses, and only one infection. Just know where you are going online and keep an eye on what you download and from where.

 

[daibachin]

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2193640,00.asp

Apple Rules, Or Else

I could probably write 15,000 words about how Apple fans drive me nuts, but that won't do anything but make my inbox fill up faster. Let me break it down to a few base observations. Again, these don't represent every Mac user—just the loudest, most obnoxious ones. Unfortunately, they're prevalent enough to paint all Mac users in the same light.

1. "Microsoft Just Copies Everyone and Buys Everything." This common belief held by Mac users is not only factually incorrect, it turns a blind eye to the many ways in which Apple fails to, ahem, "Think Different." The way Dashboard in OS X rips off Konfabulator and other widget engines predating it, Spaces knocks off many prior Virtual Desktop features, or how that fancy CoverFlow stuff was purchased from third-party developer Steel Skies. Many popular Apple ads are knock-offs. The "Hello" iPhone ad blatantly rips off Christian Marclay's film short "Telephones." Lugs actually issued a cease and desist order to get Apple to stop the iPod ad that was nearly identical to their Eminem ad. Their ad boasting the new Intel chips clones the music video for "Such Great Heights" by The Postal Service.

2. Every time someone mentions a competitor to something Apple does well, the Mac cultists flood message boards and inboxes with snickering messages to the effect of "why do they even try?" Take, for example, Zune. Microsoft announces the new Zunes, which on an objective level offer a very competitive feature set to comparably-priced iPods, and which haven't been judged on a subjective level yet because they aren't released until mid-November and no independent reviewer has actually used them for any length of time. I got plenty of mail from the Mac faithful claiming that iPod reigns supreme, is obviously superior (none of them have used Zunes, old or new), and that Microsoft shouldn't even try to compete. Excuse me? Shouldn't even try to compete? Are we actually arguing against healthy market competition here? The healthy response should be, "well maybe this will give Apple some competition to push them toward offering a subscription store, WiFi on all models, and WiFi syncing." Instead, the competition that can end in nothing but better products for consumers of either product is met with childish derision.

3. Apple fans have an attitude where, when Apple does something bad, it's okay, or at least understandable. When other companies, especially arch-rival Microsoft, does the same exact thing, it's a travesty and obviously clear evidence of why the courts should take them down. When Microsoft bundles its own software with Windows, it's time for antitrust litigation. When Apple does the same with Mac computer or OS X, they're not shutting out competitors—they're adding value. Open source rules, and Windows is bad for being closed, except of course for how OS X is closed, because that's okay. And nobody gives credit to Microsoft for having a smartphone platform that allows for real 3rd party applications, instead celebrating the clever ways in which hackers have managed to get around Apple's "not on my phone" policy to do the same. Until they update the phone and brick it, of course. You know, AT&T refusing to provide unlock codes for iPhones is against federal regulations, right? Where's the outrage?

I could go on, but you get the point. Hell, I lost most of the real Mac cultists on the first page. They've already snorted at my experiences with, well, them and have fired off an angry "you're a biased shill that obviously doesn't get it" email to me. Ironically, this only proved my point.

Yeah, I like working in OS X. I'm looking forward to Leopard. And yes, I find myself using Boot Camp a lot, spending half my time in Vista on my Macbook Pro. Both OSes have merits. Apple deserves plenty of credit for a lot of what they do, and genuinely puts out some great products. Hell, there's nothing even close to the value, functionality, and elegance of iLife on Windows. But the more time I spend on the Mac, the more I end up interacting with a group of people who obviously and transparently treat their favorite company by a different set of rules than everyone else. And worse, don't realize it or won't admit it. To all you Mac users that are calm, rational, objective, and fair: god bless you. Now, could you please give the Cult members a hard kick in the ass? They're making you look bad.

I agree on that and have the same feeling whenever I see a post like this. I have both PC and Mac here. I have been using PC since 486 DX66 and Mac for just more than one and a half year; however, my office are all Mac. So I guess I know what I am talking about.

I am a happy PC user to be honest. I dun have much(or any?) virus problem like many Apple fanboy described. I use NOD32 FYI. Win XP imo is the best. You can run it smooth and fast with 512mb ram. One thing I really like on the win7 is it automatically resize the window when you drag it to the side of the edges, very handy. You can also resize windows from all sides instead of just lower right corner on Mac. Only problem w/ the Window OS I think is that you may need to reformat it once in a while coz' I feel it's slowing down after a period of time.

I also like Mac but more on their design, esp iMac and macbook pro. Macbook's track pad is the BEST track pad I had ever used. period. The aluminum construction is also one of the things I like.
However, Mac also crash!!! It really depends on your luck. I think most ppls have realized Mac can't handle MS software properly. My msn messenger crashed a lot on my macbook(so I use adium), but it was running ok on my colleague's iMac. My MS office (use excel and entourage the most) crashes once in a while. Recently, one of my colleague's iMac crashes very often. Her mouse was replaced after 11 months of use. My magic mouse's scroll ball also not working very well sometimes. Also, recently, my office set up VPN, I can connect to it with my bro's PC using Win7 at home, but my macbook can't. Still dunno what's wrong with it. Posted a question here, but no reply yet.

Anyways, I had encountered problems with both Mac and PC. My conclusion is all depends on your luck. Just get wutever that attracts u and wish for the best.

 

[Queen of Spades]

Because some Apple users are annoying zealots who feel the need to "constantly brag" about their mac. I remember when I used Windows-only machines, the constant preaching got on my nerves. Why does anyone care what kind of computer another person uses? It seems like the most trivial, personal thing to comment on. I see all the "Windoze," Bill Gates-bashing, and general superiority displayed on these boards sometimes and I always wonder if people realize how stupid they look.

I remember, back when I was 11, we used to talk smack back and forth over wearing Adidas vs. Nike. I was 11. I'd be embarrassed to display that kind of behavior at this point in my life.

PC users do it too, and it's just as annoying. Get a life and stop tying your sense of self worth to the kind of computer you use.

 

[lillytheunicorn]

My little sis managed to give my brother's iMac a virus but she has given my mum's computer half a dozen new viruses that Norton was up to speed on and a few trojans and spy ware as well.

I love my Mac because it's sooo pretty, it's the prettiest windows machine! (Before you all attack me I love OSX for general use, photo editing etc. but the compatibility issues means I have to use win 7 )

 

[Red Comet]

It started when criticism was given towards PC users for using Windows due to how Steve Jobs used the UI wars (i.e. dispute in court) to fuel the masses in support of Apple.

I personally don't care who uses what platform anymore, they're just computer systems and either MS or Apple are reaping the profits.

 

[Atheus]

Do they really though? I've never seen anyone look at a Macbook Pro and say 'what a piece of crap'...

I think what people dislike is the cult of Apple - the amount of time some people spend devoted to Apple. Don't they realise they are tools of advertising? That this is exactly what 'they' want you to do?

I think it's also the level of knowlege among some Apple people. Most have no idea they're running the same hardware as a PC and will insist it's better in some way. Many don't even know what they mean by the term 'PC' - ask them if a Linux server is a PC and they'll ask you 'is it a mac'? No? Then it's a PC. And PC is sloooooow...

:rolleyes;