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Is the Mac more secure than Windows? Me and security experts think yes.

Written by Chris Tangora

The age old question, which platform is more secure ... Mac or Windows.  We all have some input into this, but The Plain Truth decided to go a bit further and get some professional input on the subject, 32 security professional's opinions.  The hands down answer, the Mac ... for now.  Almost everyone took the lower market share answer, an answer that is legitimate but gets around the real guts of the matter.

The Plain Truth uses Macs, and a few of the respondents claimed they used Macs at home as well.  There were of course the Windows lovers that claimed Macs were horrible at security.  While I'm not trying to say they are lying, I keep on thinking back to the Microsoft Evangelicals (article here) and how they were told to beat the Microsoft war drums, and better yet, let the third parties beat the drums even louder.  The person that gets me the most in the article is Eric Johanson, a security researcher.  His point is this ...

"If you look at the number of published vulnerabilities in software and the number of users and compare Windows versus Mac OS you will discover that Mac OS has far more published vulnerabilities per user than Windows does so I think the data pretty much speaks for itself."

You're right Eric, it does speak for itself.  This is classic re-direct that Microsoft Technical Evangelicals push.  While these magic "numbers" aren't given in the article, I find it highly unlikely that the Mac has 9x the published vulnerabilities that Windows does.  So Eric spins it around and says the high number of vulnerabilities on Windows is okay because it is offset by the high number of users ... huh? That just doesn't make sense to me.

Anyways, there are some good quotes.  The basic answers come down to this ... it's about the user & market share.  The Mac's low market share makes it a less likely attack for cybercrimes.  But no matter what computer or OS you use, if you just click on anything you see in cyberville, you will probably end up someplace you don't want to be.

Read more at The Plain Truth


A slightly off-topic side note.

While researching this article I was looking up Eric Johanson via Google.  Nothing to interesting, doing the usual checks.  Clicked on a link to the MSMVPS.com blog (MicroSoft Most Valued Professionals), as it had a hit on Eric's statement.  But it had already passed by the front page.  However, the new front page did have an interesting post.  I'll post it again here, due to the irony.

Confirmed.  MS10-015 blue screens caused by computers already being compromised or backdoored with rootkit.
If MS10-015 causes you a bluescreen - its time to check to see if data about your or your organization has been stolen.  Best to rebuild teh machine from scratch instead of try to repair it.
Published Fri, Feb 12, 2010 5:39 PM by Rod Trent at myITforum.com
Filed under: Security.
(link here)


Now if that doesn't make you laugh, I don't know what will.

Hack allows Atom processors to run 10.6.2

Written by Chris Tangora

When Apple broke 10.6.2 compatibility with Intel's Atom Processors everyone who has a hackintosh netbook gasped.  Nobody knows yet if the breaking was intentional or accidental, but it did mean lots of questions as to the future of hackintoshes.  It also gave me concern with modding, if Apple can break compatibility with an Atom processor, couldn't it do that with any processor?  If you wanted to upgrade an older Intel Mac with a newer Intel chip, would you run into some of these same problems, or did Apple break the compatibility on purpose to put a hold to the hackintosh netbooks prior to a the official apple netbook/tablet.

Regardless, if you have a hackintosh running an Atom processor there is relief in sight.  A Russian blog has a new Kernel you have to download to get Atom processors back online in Snow Leopard.  Yes, that's right a new Kernel.  

I wouldn't put my computer online with a Kernel from Russia, but if you really want to keep your Atom Hackintosh Netbook running the latest OS X releases you might just have to.  However, that is how Linux started ... "I'm doing a (free) operating system", so who knows, it may turn into something.

More info at TeaTeam's Blog (English Translation via Google HERE) via InsanelyMac Forums

Church of Mac turns into Personal Genius

Written by Chris Tangora

The Church of Mac came out a few years ago, Praising Steve, the Might Spirit that is OS X and Saint Ives.  It was funny, got some hits and made me think that Microsoft's Evangelicals were lightweights compared to this guy.  But when contacted last year about the Church's stance on Modded Macs the Reverend replied that all Macs are Steve's children, but modded macs would be in the special olympics of world-wide-computing ... needless to say I unsubscribed from his video podcast shortly after that response.

But now onto today's news ... The Church of Mac may be having hard times.  The Reverend (aka Tony Edwards) appears to have dropped the Church and has moved on to become your "Personal Genius".  The last iTunes podcast was in May of 2008, and the last posting on the Church of Mac's website was October 26th, but on October 27th Tony Edwards sent out a new mass email to former Church members offering his services through www.imyourgenius.com & imyourgenius.blogspot.com

We wish Tony the best of luck, even if he doesn't like modded Macs (though he does offer hard drive and memory upgrades, which is kind of a mod?).  So if you are in or around the 310 area code (So. Cal), give the Reverend a call for your personal Mac Genius.

One for the switchers ... show desktop icon

Written by Chris Tangora

One of the most useful icons in the Windows task bar is "show desktop".  If you've been holding out switching from Windows to Mac until the Mac OS gets the "show desktop" icon, wait no more.  Here's how you can get your own "show desktop" icon in your Mac's Dock.  (granted you could just use a keyboard key to do it, but then it wouldn't be so Windows-ish).

To get the icon on the Dock all you have to do is fire up AppleScript's Script Editor (/Applications/AppleScript/Script Editor.app).  Copy and paste this in if you are running Snow Leopard ...

(* Show Desktop AppleScript by Mohan Noone, 2009 *)
activate application "Finder"
do shell script "/Applications/Utilities/Expose.app/Contents/MacOS/Expose 1"

or if you are running straight Leopard ...

(* Show Desktop AppleScript by Mohan Noone, 2009 *)
activate application "Finder"
do shell script "/Applications/Expose.app/Contents/MacOS/Expose 1"

Save the AppleScript as an application (run only) and put it in a safe spot on your Mac (I put my in a folder I made /Applications/Custom).  Then drag it to your Dock.  Mine took a while to load when I clicked it, but it worked.  Once it is activated you are technically in Exposé, so you'll need to click on the edge of the screen to get back out.

You can also swap out the 1 for a 2 or 3 to get Exposé's other features in the dock.

Thanks Mohan Noone via MacOSXHints.com

System 6, yea you can tweet that

Written by Chris Tangora

All die-hards have an old Mac somewhere.  A G3 in the closet, an Apple II in the basement, or on an altar with a PowerBook 290 on it.  Whatever, we all have one.  Most of the time they are committed to a single task like music server, running some ancient hardware for your company, or just to have it still working.  Now you can add one more thing to the list.  Tweeting.  I'm not a big tweeter, but if you are you should take a look at Grackle68K.

This Twitter client can run on System 6 to OS 9 as a bare bones app.  The only drawback to a regular app is that you have to log on each time you launch it.  But if you have a classic Mac, and you have it networked, tweet it!

From retards.org via TUAW

Macs rank fastest in 16core Geekbench test

Written by Chris Tangora

A modified Mac Pro has taken over the number four spot on the Geekbench2 top results chart about a month ago.  The modded Mac is owned by "Tutor" and has a custom BIOS and is running a 3.19 GHz Intel Xeon W5580.  Tutor also has been playing around with a 3.3 GHz Mac Pro running Windows Vista and a 3.0 GHz 8-core Mac.  If this isn't someone testing new Mac Pro models for Apple, then I'd place my bets on someone at Intel giving their new chips a test drive.  Otherwise there is a very serious modder out there.

I liked the fact that there were so many standard Mac Pro's at the top of the list.  No, not on the tippy top.  The top three spots are held by Windows with a 32 core machine and Linux at #2 & 3 with a 24 and 32 core machine.  The modded Mac Pro takes up number 4, and then stock Mac Pros are from #5 all the way to #59.  With a Solaris machine coming in at #60 (on the bottom of page 4).

Who knows what speeds we'll see when Intel releases the 3.3GHz to Apple for the next line of Mac Pros.  Steve has always wanted to break the 3 GHz barrier, so I'm sure he'll jump on the first chance to get there.

from GeekBench via PCWorld

Change the capture spot of screen shots

Written by Chris Tangora

If you use the screen capture feature of OS X (command-shift-3 or command-shift-4) you will have to deal with items on the Desktop.  Every time you take a screen shot a new "Picture" appears on the desktop.  That's okay for the first few pictures, but if you are taking a series of pictures (say around 50), when you get done taking pictures you have a heck of a mess on your Desktop.

The solution is to change where the screen shots are saved.  Your can do this with Onyx or TinkerTools, or you can do it by hand by firing up the Terminal and doing these two commands ...

$ defaults write com.apple.screencapture location <path to folder to save images to>
$ killall SystemUIServer

Make sure you have typed in a valid folder path.  If you dont' you'll get a warning and no screen shot will be saved.

from TUAW

Custom Vase Case Prototype

Written by Chris Tangora

Modding has never been main stream, but the idea of having a custom computer may be wearing into the mass markets if ECS has anything say about it.  Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS) is primarily a motherboard company, but has a Simply Smart philosophy and has won over 150 awards for it's design.  ECS had a display at Coputex 2009, and had a rather interesting prototype for showing off their Small-Form-Factor Desktop System, some might even call it a mod, but I would call it the compu-vase.  Yes that's right.  ECS built a mod out of a porcelain vase to showcase their latest system. The compu-vase looks real, because it is real porcelain.

The mod ... er ... prototype is also packed with features.  An Intel Atom CPU, 1GB RAM, Blu-Ray, NVIDIA ION Graphics, and HDMI Output.  While ECS isn't a computer manufacturer, it could lure some companies into expanding their model designs.  I can definitely see more and more motherboard/component manufacturers doing some kind of mod for their next booth.

More info at gizmag.com

Mobile Lego Cube

Written by Chris Tangora

Hello World.  Or at least that is what W is saying with his latest brick creation.  W has taken an emptied out Cube and attached a LEGO Mindstorms NXT and has created a Transforming LEGO Apple Power Mac G4 Cube.  Controlling the device with a BlueTooth Remote Control, or pre-programmed autonomous mode.  Inside of the Cube there is a LEGO NXT programmable brick, 3 interactive servo motors and all 4 sensors: touch, sound, light, and ultrasonic.

The sensors are for autonomous mode, and I'm not sure, but it looks like it has enough space to hold a CD and enough memory to do the basic "Hello World" application.  W has promised more info along the way, but check out what he has already up on thinkingbricks.com.

via W

Intel one upped by Fujitsu

Written by Chris Tangora

Intel not only has to pay over 1 Billion for anti-trust violations, but now they have been out clocked by Japanese electronics maker Fujitsu.  Fujitsu has released an eight core chip named "Venus" that is 2.5 times faster than Intel's leading super computer chip.  This isn't the end-all for Intel.  A few years ago you might remember AMD slipped ahead of Intel in performance and Intel responded with some great chips (and eventually landed Apple as a client).

Intel has been moving away from super-processors and has been focusing on low-power all in one chips for mobile devices, so I think the door was left open for competitors to challenge them.  Intel has been moving to American made 32nm development, where Fujitsu's chip is built on 45 nm.  The Venus is also a SPARC64 CPU, so you won't see this in the average desktop anytime in the near future.  This is also the first time in 10 years that a Japanesse company has taken the lead in the super-processor challenge.

Congratulations Fujitsu!