Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

robotmonkey

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 24, 2010
419
0
I got an email from a former professor and clicked the link thinking it may be something important, safari opened up and a page about buying viagra appeared, along with numerous popups. One of the popups was for "MacKeeper", which sounded almost exactly like the MacDefender popup window. I didn't click anything or have anything installed and I quite safari so I don't think I've been infected. Is there a new variant called MacKeeper?
 

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,539
941
I got an email from a former professor and clicked the link thinking it may be something important, safari opened up and a page about buying viagra appeared, along with numerous popups. One of the popups was for "MacKeeper", which sounded almost exactly like the MacDefender popup window. I didn't click anything or have anything installed and I quite safari so I don't think I've been infected. Is there a new variant called MacKeeper?
MacKeeper is the name of a utility app that's been around for a while, but it's entirely possible the MacDefender has been renamed again to the same name. Neither one are desirable on a Mac. No viruses exist in the wild that can run on Mac OS X, and there never have been any, since it was released 10 years ago. The handful of trojans that exist can be easily avoided with some basic education, common sense and care in what software you install:
The first section of that link deals specifically with the MacDefender/MacSecurity/MacProtector/MacGuard issue, which is not a virus. I encourage you to read it.
 

kkathman

macrumors newbie
Dec 7, 2009
10
0
MacKeeper is a genuine utility and a good one. I've used it for some time and never had a problem with it. I started using Onyx, but it didn't clean up things that MacKeeper does.

It's always possible that some nefarious software has named itself Mackeeper, because it is so popular. Zeobit makes the original, so if you haven't downloaded it from them, it's always possible that you've got a fake.
 
Nov 28, 2010
22,670
30
located
MacKeeper is a genuine utility and a good one. I've used it for some time and never had a problem with it. I started using Onyx, but it didn't clean up things that MacKeeper does.

It's always possible that some nefarious software has named itself Mackeeper, because it is so popular. Zeobit makes the original, so if you haven't downloaded it from them, it's always possible that you've got a fake.

Though such nefarious application is not needed. Look, where it puts down ads, but as it is scareware and an unnecessary application, it will always find some sucker, who installs it, albeit not necessary.
Five Mac maintenance myths
 

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,539
941
MacKeeper is a genuine utility and a good one.
No, it isn't. It's pretty much useless in every respect.

You don't need "cleaner" or "maintenance" apps to keep your Mac running well, and some of these apps can do more harm than good. Some remove files/folders or unused languages or architectures, which does nothing more than free up some drive space, with the risk of deleting something important in the process.

These apps will not make your Mac run faster or more efficiently, since having stuff stored on a drive does not impact performance, unless you're running out of drive space. Some of these apps delete caches, which can hurt performance, rather than help it, since more system resources are used and performance suffers while each cache is being rebuilt.

Many of these tasks should only be done selectively to troubleshoot specific problems, not en masse as routine maintenance.

Mac OS X does a good job of taking care of itself, without the need for 3rd party software. Among other things, it has its own maintenance scripts that run silently in the background on a daily, weekly and monthly basis, without user intervention.

 

FloatingBones

macrumors 65816
Jul 19, 2006
1,483
737
You don't need "cleaner" or "maintenance" apps to keep your Mac running well, and some of these apps can do more harm than good. Some remove files/folders or unused languages or architectures, which does nothing more than free up some drive space, with the risk of deleting something important in the process.

The rest of your points are good, but this sounds a bit like FUD. Any program that has unintentional side-effects has the risk of doing harm. Do you have any actual evidence that this utility deletes important files in the process of removing extraneous ones?
 
Last edited:

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,539
941
The rest of your points are good, but this sounds a bit like FUD. Any program that has unintentional side-effects has the risk of doing harm. Do you have any actual evidence that this utility deletes important files in the process of removing extraneous ones?
Just do a search for MacKeeper (or CleanMyMac) and you'll find many, many reports of problems caused by these apps. Yes, if you delete certain languages or architectures, some apps or the OS will fail to function.
 

FloatingBones

macrumors 65816
Jul 19, 2006
1,483
737
Just do a search for MacKeeper (or CleanMyMac) and you'll find many, many reports of problems caused by these apps. Yes, if you delete certain languages or architectures, some apps or the OS will fail to function.

GGJ: the problem with FUD is the lack of specifics. A "search the internet" defense is a FAIL -- especially when it's trivial to provide references. If I were a developer of commercial software products, I would be annoyed by this kind of vague chatter about my products.

Please provide specific and current references to the claimed failures you're describing. If you do that, readers can evaluate for themselves if your claims are accurate. Have the specific problems been reported to the developer? How did the company respond?
 
Last edited:

Mal

macrumors 603
Jan 6, 2002
6,252
18
Orlando
GGJ: the problem with FUD is the lack of specifics. A "search the internet" defense is a FAIL -- especially when it's trivial to provide references. If I were a developer of commercial software products, I would be annoyed by this kind of vague chatter about my products.

Please provide specific and current references to the claimed failures you're describing. If you do that, readers can evaluate for themselves if your claims are accurate. Have the specific problems been reported to the developer? How did the company respond?

He wasn't suggesting a general search of the internet, but rather a search of these forums. He'll also probably respond with the links that I've seen him post previously, such as the rather long "CleanMyMac cleaned too much" thread. I can say that from my experience, these types of threads are far too common for me to recommend any application like this to anyone who isn't knowledgeable enough to not need one of them anyways.

jW
 

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,539
941
GGJ: the problem with FUD is the lack of specifics. A "search the internet" defense is a FAIL -- especially when it's trivial to provide references. If I were a developer of commercial software products, I would be annoyed by this kind of vague chatter about my products.

Please provide specific and current references to the claimed failures you're describing. If you do that, readers can evaluate for themselves if your claims are accurate. Have the specific problems been reported to the developer? How did the company respond?
As Mal pointed out, I was not suggesting a search of the internet, but rather a search in this forum, as there have been dozens of threads where this topic has been beaten to death. If you're not willing to do your own searching, that's your problem. I've done extensive research and testing on these apps over the years, including searching in this forum and elsewhere on the web. It doesn't take long to find that these apps are not well-respected and trusted, like OnyX, for example. I've also had discussions in this forum with company representatives and shills from both MacPaw and ZeoBit, and they can't even hold their own in successfully defending the merits of those apps. If you want to use them, go ahead. If you choose not to believe me, go ahead. My interest is not in convincing anyone who doesn't want to be convinced. My interest is in providing accurate information for those who are looking for sound advice regarding these apps.
 

FloatingBones

macrumors 65816
Jul 19, 2006
1,483
737
As Mal pointed out, I was not suggesting a search of the internet, but rather a search in this forum, as there have been dozens of threads where this topic has been beaten to death. If you're not willing to do your own searching, that's your problem.

As a matter of principle, why can't you just provide a link, GGJ? Why not just be accountable for the claims you make by backing them up with links? It's not as if MR charges for putting links in messages. :rolleyes:

I've done extensive research and testing on these apps over the years, including searching in this forum and elsewhere on the web. It doesn't take long to find that these apps are not well-respected and trusted, like OnyX, for example.

Here's the disconnect: the first two reviews I find (1 2) when searching on

mackeeper reviews

are quite positive. The TUAW review is quite positive.

If you want to use them, go ahead.

You are completely missing the point.

If you want to make the case that this is the worst software ever, then gather your data and make your case. Whenever anyone asks, you can reference that document. People can then look at your evidence themselves and make informed decisions.

That's an optimal way to have fact-based discussions in public.

If you choose not to believe me, go ahead.

Why should believability be an issue at all? Why can't you just present the facts?

My interest is not in convincing anyone who doesn't want to be convinced. My interest is in providing accurate information for those who are looking for sound advice regarding these apps.

It's not a question of wanting or not. Your style is aversive to anyone who is naturally skeptical. If you've done the heavy lifting, it should be easy to put the facts together in one place. Simple.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.