Re: Virus?

[russotto@grace.speakeasy.net (Matthew Russotto)]

In article <b5br9s$264a$1@merope.saaf.se>,
Paul Schlyter <pausch@saaf.se> wrote:
>In article <2h2cnZIT0KTtRuWjXTWcpw@speakeasy.net>,
>Matthew Russotto <russotto@grace.speakeasy.net> wrote:
> 
>> In article <b595fr$1eom$1@merope.saaf.se>,
>> Paul Schlyter <pausch@saaf.se> wrote:
>> 
>>> It's also a reason why you wouldn't want the Mac to become as
>>> popular as the PC currently is: if it did, the Mac would become
>>> subjected to the same flood of viruses and worms....
>> 
>> No, it wouldn't.  Microsoft products are inherently less secure.
> 
>It seems that Apple is not a computer but a religion to you....

Nope, I'm a computer atheist.

>No software is "inherently" more, or less, secure.  They're more, or
>less, secure depending on how it's developed and configured, and this
>may change over time.  Yep, Microsoft has a history of having been
>sloppy on security issues, but they've started to improve on this.
>Microsoft's cardinal sin here has been focusing on features and
>adding as many of these as they could, and turning them all on by
>default.  Sure, average Joe Smith enjoy seeing stuff like animations
>people send them in their email, without having to worry about
>configuration issues.  But this also poses a security problem....

You've just described one of the major reasons I claim Microsoft
products are inherently less secure.

>Now, does the Apple Macintosh reduce the number of features in their
>software order to enhance security?  I _don't_ think so..... 

Yes, actually.  All remote services come turned OFF by default.  And Apple
Mail does not have the capability to run arbitrary programs in the
incoming email.  

>The main security advantage of the Apple Mac is that it's a niche
>computer, i.e. only a minority of computer users choose Macs.

No.  That is an advantage, but it isn't the main one.
-- 
Matthew T. Russotto                            mrussotto@speakeasy.net
"Extremism in defense of liberty is no vice, and moderation in pursuit
of justice is no virtue."  But extreme restriction of liberty in pursuit of 
a modicum of security is a very expensive vice.