[nonkel808]

Hey all

I'm new to the whole mac thing, just recently bought my first macbook pro. A huge transition for me after using PCs all my life, but one that i haven't regretted for now.

But one issue that bothers me is anti-virus. Should iI install anti-virus software on my mac or not? A lot of people that i know tell me that mac has no serious virus threats and that they never needed any anti-virus soft, but i've been browsing this forum and i see that threats do exist.

So what is the general opinion on this: Anti-virus or not? And what anti-virus soft do you recommend?

Thanks,

Bob

[nonkel808]

oh, the "more like this" bar shows me that several post about antivirus already exist

I'll check them out, but still feel free to answer this topic.

thaanks :)

[ShermanHoman]

Indeed, there are a million threads on this issue. There are only two reasons to run anti-virus software on OS, one is if your IT department requires it, which is sort of dumb but you can't fight it. The other is to be a good neighbor for your exposed PC friends. An infected file can be sent to a Mac from an infectedPC. Then the file could be sent on to another defenseless PC. But even then, the burden should be on the PC user. ClamX fits either scenario, but again, it really isn't necessary.

[Heyoka_Happiness]

Welcome to Macworld.

I have not had a need to install virus protection software, nor have I wanted to for that matter. You really don't have nothing to worry about. Here is another post I thought was quit amusing. {message:id=627716}

[smax013]

Heyoka_Happiness said:

You really don't have nothing to worry about.

So, what you are actually saying is that there IS something to worry about?



Sorry...could not help picking on you for the double negative...I hope you will forgive me.



If I re-engage my serious mode (kind of), which is tough sometimes, I will note that I am one of those "crazy" people that choose to run anti-virus on my Macs. In the end, it is a personal choice. As pointed out, at this point in time, there is little to no threat. Thus, it is perfectly reasonable to not use any anti-virus on your Mac (the BIG exception is if you are actually running Windoze in some form on your Mac...either Bootcamp or Parallels/Fusion...you should DEFINITELY be running anti-virus on the Windoze side of things, even if you choose not to run anti-virus on the Mac OS side of things). I don't berudge anyone that. I just personally feel a little better running anti-virus on my Mac, even if it is really not needed at this point in time.

[nonkel808]

hey thanks guys for the answers !

i am a carefull guy I plan to install some anti-virus soft anyway; mainly because most of my clients work in windows and i regularly need to send files to them...

I think i'll go for virusbarrier X5

cheers,

Bob

[smax013]

nonkel808 said:

hey thanks guys for the answers !

i am a carefull guy I plan to install some anti-virus soft anyway; mainly because most of my clients work in windows and i regularly need to send files to them...


I think i'll go for virusbarrier X5


cheers,


Bob

If so, then welcome the "Crazy Mac Users who run Anti-virus Software on their Macs" club! Once you get the software installed, you should apply to the club so that you can get your T-shirt so that other Mac users will know that you are crazy enough to run anti-virus. That way they will know it is OK to snicker at you.

[Heyoka_Happiness]

I was almost part of that group I ran the trail version of virusbarrier just for my own curiosity.

But I won't snicker too loud at you guys. Seriously now if it helps you sleep at night then thats all that matters.

[jobynad]

I think you should go with Norton Anti-virus.

[GMorin]

I've been a MacUser for 16 years and experienced my first "virus," "trojan horse" or whatever yesterday. I was working in QuarkXpress 6.5 and was correcting a typo and I hit two keys at once. All of a sudden a little multi-colored animated icon came marching across the screen to the text box I was working on and made all the type in it disappear. I couldn't use the text box after that. Since then I've been looking for the software to kill the little bastard. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[ShermanHoman]

That isn't a virus! You have just met the "quark" in Quark! He has been a feature of Quark since version 3.
You selected a text box and pressed Command-Option-Shift-K
An alien marches in from the side of the document and deletes the box with a multi-colored zap gun, then disappears. Cool sound effects too.
Make five text boxes, do the alien trick five times in a row and a larger alien comes in from the other side, and shoots a bazooka at the
first alien!
More fun, Quark 6, Select any item, Choose the Rotate tool, Press Command-Option-Shift-~
Cheers!

[GMorin]

Wow! Thanks. You're never too old to learn, huh?. Great relief and fun, too!