Category: Mactopia

DMCA axes sites discussing Mac OS for PCs | CNET News.com

As it might have caught the senses of Apple watchers, a number of sites have been discussing, and recently posting detailed information on, how to circumvent the security protocols built into OS X, making it possible to install and boot OS X on non-Apple, Intel based, hardware.

Well, Apple has taken legal action against these sites, claiming that they’re violating the DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act), by even publishing links to circumvention techniques.

So why is Apple so protective, wouldn’t it be better if Apple started to offer OS X to everyone?

BBC NEWS | Technology | Malicious worm aims to bite Apple

A Worm, or rather a Trojan, called Leap-A, has reared it’s ugly head on OS X.

Apple has labelled as malicious software rather than a worm or virus, and this is correct, since it doesn’t propagate by itself.

But…This was bound to happen. I too often hear Mac users talk about the immunity of the Apple platform, and I agree 100% with the comments made by BBC commentator Bill Thompson in January. Bill Thompson is a long-time Mac user, and he points out that Apple users have been ‘too smug’ over security .

I’ve repeatedly pointed in Internet forums, out that writing malicious software for Mac OS X, should be at least as easy as it is on Windows, due to the high level of ‘programmability’ that is possible with Mac OS X.

This should be a wake-up call, but I’ve noticed that the people that always argue that Mac OS X is invulnerable, are extremely quiet these days.

So do you need to install anti-virus software on Mac OS X? I’d strongly advise that you do that, a good reason is that it will stop you from unknowingly forward infected files, that are targeting Windows, to your friends.

So far I’ve had the ClamXav recommended. ClamXav is based on the Open Source anti-virus progam ClamAV.

Today marks my first anniversary as a Mac user.

On the 20th of January 2005 I decided to pay the MacCenter Gl. Mønt in Copenhagen a visit, I went there to get my hands on a Mac mini, that had just been released, “unfortunately” there was a serious backlog of orders, no Mac mini for me. While I was putting in an order for a Mac mini, something strange happend, my eyes wandered, resting on the PowerBook G4 12″…WOW that was love at first sight, wasn’t that the first computer in the history of mankind that I had put my eyes on?

I left the store with a beefed up PowerBook G4 12″, and since then I’ve never looked back, it’s a fantastic computer, that I can bring with me, and use, everywhere I go. It has changed the way I use my computer, OS X really support my way of working, people that have seen me work are baffled by the number of applications and windows I keep open, I never close anything, right now I have 17 applications running and several Firefox instances with something like 70 tabs open, Windows and PCs just can’t support that the way OS X can, the Exposé´interface is fantastic for gaining an overview of what you’re working on. Exposé has to be seen in order to grasp it.

I did however get a little too excited by Apple, you could say intoxicated, dissing everything not Apple, and yes Steve Jobs epitomises kewl, but he is only a businessman, albeit one with a vision, I was on my way to WDDC 2005 to meet the man…Then I wised up after I realised how much UNIX, OS X is, and that all important Open Source projects are supported on the Mac.

After attending the LinuxForum 2005, I went from Switching evangelism to Open Source evangelism.

I still flash my Apple gadgets every opportunity I get, and I still do my share of switching evangelism, people really make eyes when they see a PowerBook, it’s so beautiful and well designed.

If you’re a serious computer user considering buying a notebook, and you’re prepared to spend some time replacing your familiar PC software and Windows user interface, you should really consider buying a notebook from Apple. But if you want to do serious gaming, get a PC or, better, a gaming console and a Mac.

But…With the switch to Intel that Apple is doing, the Apple hardware will actually, in theory – I haven’t seen it – be capable of running Windows (Vista) natively, as well as ALL major operating systems (e.g. Linux) and of course OS X…How’s that for choice.

One year later, my PCs are gaining dust

Apple today announced the first Intel based Mac computers. Below is a link to a BBC article describing the announcement.

BBC NEWS | Technology | Apple debuts Intel-powered Macs

The keynote by Apple CEO Steve Jobs.

Steve showed himself to be a master of suspense, since the keynote had been running for an hour, without any mention of Intel based Macs what-so-ever.

It’s amazing how many people are warming up to the idea of ditching Wintel and switching to Mac.

What people are taken in by, is the general coolness, engineering and apparent quality of the Apple hardware, but they look baffled by the difference between Windows and OS X, and as I’ve reported before, there IS trouble in Mactopia.