"Expert" gives view on why Macs aren't commonly adopted by Universities

[loubapache]

On my win xp pro box, we are all admins.

That is the source of security problem. You go ask any UNIX admin to see if they logon as root all day. No they do not. They only logon as root to make system changes.

Windows users need the same discipline. As I said in an earlier post, one needs to create a regular user account for everyday tasks.

This is not the fault of the OS but the lack of safe guard of the user.

 

[ingenious]

Well, the security in XP Pro is CONFIGURABLE. There are three options:

1) No password needed (that is probably what you got. This is the least secure).

2) Password only. The user ID is. by defailt, automatically entered by XP Pro.

3) Both User ID and password are needed.

thanks for pointing that out. i had no idea.

 

[sonyrules]

1. Viruses: apple tells it sales people to push the .mac antivirus...to protect their windows using friends from viruses...because a mac user can be a carrier. But there are no viruses for OS X.

2. Security: there is one huge difference in security between macs and pcs. On os x you need an admin password to install software, on windows you don't. Therefore most mac users will not unwilling install a program....no admin no access. All that spyware and stuff in windows installs itsself without you knowing.

Your security quote is the key. We know what getting installed in our computer at any giving time. Spyware and adware has come to be a big problem in the windows world. And that stuff wouldnt exeist if microsoft took a look at there OS security. Another reason why OS X is more reliable, you KNOW at ANY GIVIN TIME, whats getting installed

 

[sonyrules]

Actually, on all the "professional" multi-user Wndows OS (W2K Prof, Win XP prof, etc.), you need an admin password to install software, or you need to have admin rights. There is really no difference on this issue between OS X and Windows Prof.

The problem is that many Windows users use their admin account for everyday work. What they really should do is to create a regular or power user account for everyday work.

That is incorrect. I work with over 500 Pc using Windows 2000, and all users authenticate on a USER level, not administration level. And yet, Programs still get installed with out permissions. Most of them ADWARE. And there is nothing in System Policys to go against it

 

[qpsk]

Cost? Conformity?

Just a couple shots in the dark...

 

[Zerotude]

The Wacky Professor

Obviously this guy has no clue about what's going on in his own department, let alone what might be happening in the wonderful world of computing.
I work for a school district with an installed user base of nearly %80 apple computers and we have no "official" support for the software and only some support for the hardware. Yet the machines continute to operate well for their users, for the most part. If this isn't a shinning example of TCO and ROI, I don't know what is....
As for viri, all the above reasons for us Mac-Users not getting them are valid, and I'm glad the script-children don't know more about the Mac, or aren't malicious enough to come after us. Lets count our blessings here.
I know when we were having DNS problems here, my little iMac kept right on working when the Wintels were left in the dust. Make mine Macintosh.
Z