3 ms·
I would say it is accurate. I doubt most users really think it through, and Apple went out of their way to enforce the idea that Macs don't get viruses in thei
by horsawlarway 9y ago
I would say it is accurate. I doubt most users really think it through, and Apple went out of their way to enforce the idea that Macs don't get viruses in their advertising campaigns around 2010 to 2012.
Most users just don't think about it much, and the only exposure they got was ads telling them the thing doesn't get viruses, which Apple finally stopped doing in 2012 after have a very uncomfortable year... https://www.wired.com/2012/06/mac_viruses/ https://www.wired.com/2012/06/mac_viruses/
If you're here talking on HN, then yes, you probably fall into the category of folks who properly understand that uncommon != impossible. I sincerely doubt the vast majority of users make that jump.
- epistasis 9y agoFrom that article: >It may have been technically accurate that Macs don’t get gummed up with PC viruses, but the implication that Apple is virus-free is certainly misleading. But that "implication" is an assumed implication that I haven't seen play out in my non-tech friends. I always thought that stories like those were just drummed up by anti-virus vendors to make sure that people continue buying their wares.
- threeseed 9y ago> I always thought that stories like those were just drummed up by anti-virus vendors to make sure that people continue buying their wares. Look at this article and every article about Mac viruses. Always an anti-virus vendor.
- kbenson 9y agoJust because the people alerting you to something have a vested interest in you being alerted, that doesn't make them wrong. It's good to know the incentives behind actions, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't look at the facts in each case and come to an informed decision.