Important reading for all computer users

[Bob_Trevithick]

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://grc.com/UnPnP/UnPnP.htm>http://grc.com/UnPnP/UnPnP.htm</A>

I hope this works.. never posted a URL before.

I decided to change the title from "Interesting" to "Important." I really do think it is.

[Harv]

<font color=blue>I decided to change the title from "Interesting" to "Important."</font color=blue>

Should probably have changed it to "Important reading for all PC users"[/b]. [img]/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif[/img]

One small advantage for Mac users is that they are not affected by Windows problems. [img]/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[Bob_Trevithick]

<font color=blue>...Should probably have changed it to "Important reading for all PC users". </font color=blue>

Good point! [img]/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif[/img] But... I'll bet all Mac, Linux, etc., users have some friends who are running Windows.. and compromised Windows machines can attack any type of operating system via DOS attacks.. so you aren't completely out of the woods. [img]/w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif[/img] The more Windows machines that are rendered secure, the better for everyone on the Internet.

Bob

[RoyJackson]

Yeah..just ain't enough Mac users to make it worthwhile writing a virus!!!!

(just jokin', Mac users!!!)

[Bob_Trevithick]

<font color=blue>...Yeah..just ain't enough Mac users to make it worthwhile writing a virus!!!!</font color=blue>

Yeah, as the old joke goes, "Even the virus writers don't support the Mac!" And before anyone gets angry, please know I LOVE Macs.. In fact, I'd still be running a Mac if only I could. We live in the boonies, and had to get DirecPC satellite.. which, you guessed it, requires their own proprietary software which only runs on Windows. Sigh.

If anyone is interested, here's another great link:

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://grc.com/dos/grcdos.htm>http://grc.com/dos/grcdos.htm</A>

This is the fascinating story of the dDOS attacks on the GRC site. Reads like a detective story, and gives one a good idea of just how vulnerable we all are, regardless of our choice of software and O/S.

Bob

[beenthere]

Is their a message here when they can't decide if it is UnPlug n' Pray or UnPlug n' Play??

[Bob_Trevithick]

<font color=blue>...Is their a message here when they can't decide if it is UnPlug n' Pray or UnPlug n' Play??</font color=blue>

I think the message is that Steve cranks this stuff out so fast that some typos slip in. Programmers are like that.. we spend months getting a routine perfect, and then scribble some docs in 20 minutes. [img]/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif[/img] I'll tell him to fix it.. he appreciates having people spot things that need fixing.

[GlueGuy]

<font color=blue>One small advantage for Mac users is that they are not affected by Windows problems.</font color=blue>

That is "mostly" true, Harv, but I would like to amend that statement. Since there is a lot of software on the market for Mac's that come from M$ (notably office and all its components). A more appropriate statement is would be more like "Mac's are not affected as much".

Since a lot of malicious software is aimed squarely with M$ Word macros, you might be more vulnerable than you might like. However, having a non-M$ pure Mac, you are probably very correct.

[MossRoad]

You and that glenmac character! I tell ya! The mac to PC ratio on TBN is probably the same as the PowerTrac to Kubota ratio[img]/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif[/img].

[Harv]

I happen to know that the Mac population on TBN is 0.75% of the total users. [img]/w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

Given those kinds of odds, I'm not about to start an argument about platform religion. [img]/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif[/img]

I'm much more interested in the people behind the computers anyway. [img]/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif[/img]