[DaGuy]

Correct me if I'm wrong but with current wave of worms affecting the Windows computers and annoying the rest of humanity, isn't the case that once one of those emails reach a mac (any mac) it is essentially dead since it can't do any damage or reproduce...

The same can be said about other platforms i.e., Linux and other Unixes. But is good to know we are part of the solution and not the problem.

I wonder how much of a filtering effect can 5% of the market have on the rest??

I just put some chemicals on my pool and these are much less than 5% of the volume of water, and yet they will disinfect the entire volume of fluid.

[Mike S.]

Properly patched Windows computers would not get infected or pass the worm along either.

Keep in mind that these exploits are often *months* old so while Microsoft can be blamed for shipping swiss cheese users who don't apply the fixes when given ample time to do so are ultimately what allows these things to propagate.

[Brass]

Originally posted by Mike S.:
Properly patched Windows computers would not get infected or pass the worm along either.

Keep in mind that these exploits are often *months* old so while Microsoft can be blamed for shipping swiss cheese users who don't apply the fixes when given ample time to do so are ultimately what allows these things to propagate.

Although 90% of users never hear about the vulnerability, let alone the patch, before they've been exploited or everyone around them has been exploited.

[DaGuy]

Originally posted by Mike S.:
Properly patched Windows computers would not get infected or pass the worm along either.

Keep in mind that these exploits are often *months* old so while Microsoft can be blamed for shipping swiss cheese users who don't apply the fixes when given ample time to do so are ultimately what allows these things to propagate.

Yes of course, and I agree with you.

I'm just basically contemplating numbers that I cannot calculate. For example, the percentage of patch windows systems, how much bigger is it than the rest of the OS world? It could be that the non MS platforms are helping to control the worms better than Windows is or at least doing an unfair share of the clean up work.

There was an argument made by some security agengy (I don't remember which) that the best solutions to malicious hacking was diversity of platforms. The numbers that I'm thinking about could help support that case.

[Brass]

Originally posted by DaGuy:
There was an argument made by some security agengy (I don't remember which) that the best solutions to malicious hacking was diversity of platforms. The numbers that I'm thinking about could help support that case.

If you can find such a report with well researched results, I'm sure a lot of us would like to see it, as it would help some of us in talking to management types about allowing windows to be the only supported desktop platform at our places of work.

I've heard exactly the same thing from a security expert at a conference I attended, but he didn't mention or reference any specific published research.

[DaGuy]

Originally posted by Brass:
If you can find such a report with well researched results, I'm sure a lot of us would like to see it, as it would help some of us in talking to management types about allowing windows to be the only supported desktop platform at our places of work.

I've heard exactly the same thing from a security expert at a conference I attended, but he didn't mention or reference any specific published research.

Tara!

http://news.com.com/2100-1029-5081214.html

[Eriamjh]

That article makes a good point, but fails to really mention alternatives to the problem of Microsoft dominance. It barely mentions Linux and (of course) no mention of Apple as a total platform alternative.

Sad, but M$'s domination of the world of computing presents only problems, but no one seems to state the obvious solution: Macs, the perfect alternative.

I wonder how much of a filtering effect can 5% of the market have on the rest??

Actually, you should HELP those PC bastards by forwarding all the PC viruses your mac receives to every PC user you know. Let them feel the pain of being a M$ user. Then when they all complain their PCs are trashed, point out that you are immune and why. Maybe they'll reconsider their hardware next time?

[DaGuy]

Originally posted by Eriamjh:
That article makes a good point, but fails to really mention alternatives to the problem of Microsoft dominance.

That would've made the article sound biased or just another middle of the road MS hate article. As is, without pushing any OS, it makes a very powerful statement.

This is big stuff and a black eye for those I.T. shops pushing windows only -those bastards!