Windows convert feels naked!!!

[TMR812]

Hi, I'm new to the mac world. I recently (month ago) purchased a mac pro as my first mac after a long history with windows. I'm absolutely loving the mac pro, and have NO desire to head back to windows. However, I feel really naked with no anti-virus, anti-spyware, etc...

Should I have anything like this? Do I need it? I have a home network with a hardware firewall, but that's it for the mac. What more, if anything, should I be doing/running?

Thanks,

TMR

 

[Eidorian]

You're fine without antivirus.

 

[Chaszmyr]

Anti-virus software is great for defending your computer against viruses. However, it also bogs down the computer that it's running down (sometimes fairly considerably, depending on the software and settings). For this reason, I would advise not installing anti-virus software on your Mac, so long as the status quo persists (That is to say, there are currently ZERO viruses that attack OSX).

It is still possible to get a file with a Windows virus embedded and deliberately pass that file to other Windows users without knowing that there is a virus attached. Anti-virus software can sometimes pick up on these things, but rather than having anti-virus software for this reason, I'd simply be careful about what files you receive and pass along.

 

[Counterfit]

Anti-virus may or may not be worthwhile, depending on how much you'll be in contact with Windows users. Anti-spyware, however, is completely unnecessary. Also, there's a firewall in the Sharing preference pane, and LittleSnitch is handy.

 

[bartelby]

Windows convert feels naked!!!

Naked? You'll fit right in on MR!

 

[emptyCup]

It may make you feel better to know that I managed over 3500 Macs for 10 years and never saw a virus on any of them. Turn on the firewall, turn off Autofill and Open Trusted Sites in Safari Preferences (if you use Safari). As Counterfit suggests, you may want to check out Little Snitch.

 

[Mr.Noisy]

Hi, I'm new to the mac world. I recently (month ago) purchased a mac pro as my first mac after a long history with windows. I'm absolutely loving the mac pro, and have NO desire to head back to windows. However, I feel really naked with no anti-virus, anti-spyware, etc...

Should I have anything like this? Do I need it? I have a home network with a hardware firewall, but that's it for the mac. What more, if anything, should I be doing/running?

Thanks,

TMR

Congrats on switching, i was the same a few months back, don't worry, you shouldn't have any virus problems, just turn on the default firewall and stealth the ports in advanced options and your away, the mac pro is by far my best computer purchase........ever,and with osx 10.5 release it will blow vista away, but i know the feeling your getting...... you keep feeling you forgot to do something........but no more error box in the middle of the screen and 'do you want to report the error to microsoft'

 

[statikcat]

What exactly is in anti-mac-virus software? There is no real database for virus. I think this package actually has Windows virus definitions. This would make scanning a FAT32 drive or a Windows machine over a network for virus handy.. not much else that I know of!