Thanks!
"Why are Mac's not affected by virus's? Is this in fact true? I am considering getting one for work and I would like your comments.
Thanks!"
On possible reason is market share. Mac/Apple, although out there in a bunch of schools, doesn't have the market penetration of MS platforms. No big target, no (fewer) folks trying to exploit the boxes.
Another is operating system. MacOS has never been particularly vulnerable (again, few folks using it), and OSX is a UNIX OS.
Finally who actually uses the system? Few businesses and/or government agencies use Mac. The user base is mostly folk who need a reliable, comfortable to use, and safe connection to the internet.
Random thoughts.
Cheers
I've never used a Mac but I think HAL9000 will know the answer to your question.
Lots of reasons. The big one is that the default account isn't an Admin account with root access privileges. Another is that it questions you when installing software, and requires a password. Another is that, since OSX, the operating system is UNIX based, and doesn't have the legacy holes that Windows has. Another is that it's a harder target with a smaller payoff. Another is that most OSX users don't use IE, which has been discontinued for Macs. Another is that the built-in firewall is on by default and you have to override it purposefully to open up remote access.
Macs are not immune; there just hasn't been any successful exploits in the wild yet. The only malware I've ever suffered on a Mac in 15 years was the macro virus that effected (you guessed it) Microsoft Office, and that was long before OSX.
Who would want to hack into a computer from a guy who lives in the woods in a converted school bus and wants to trade organic root vegetables for a rebuilt starter for a 1981 Volvo 240?
It's true. Apple's Mac OS X operating system is designed to resist viruses better than Windows. It is possible that a virus will spread on Macs someday, but so far Mac users have been very fortunate compared to our Windows-using friends.
There are dozens of reasons why Windows is plagued with viruses, worms and spyware. Much of the Windows operating system was designed before the Internet became popular, so Microsoft did not use good coding practices. Microsoft also decided to leave many unnecessary communications ports open without a firewall until recently. Viruses can obtain administrative privileges more easily on Windows than on Macs. Microsoft e-mail programs used to automatically execute viruses that were attached to messages.
There is a myth that viruses writers don't try to attack Macs because Windows is more popular. But the popularity of Windows does ensure that viruses spread more quickly on that platform.
Better security is one good reason to get a Mac, but there are several others - better software, better reliability, better productivity - and Macs are just more fun to use than Windows computers.
What kind of work do you do?
The reasons are summed up on Apple's site, the most important being that Windows plus IE is just very easy to exploit.