Windows computers...why?

[SeymourDuncan]

What is so hard about making a operating system that is not like an open wound in a 3rd world square dancing contest? My Mac is amazing in every way...and it is in charge of all my top priority files and tasks. I have a widows laptop for writing and browsing but it is JUNK. I'm always running avast...I regularly run and update malware bytes...and I even use cleanup with the toilet flush sound every single day. Still gets viruses...still lags..still sucks, while the iMac is upstairs doing burnouts it runs so well. I don't even need antivirus on that bad boy and I have not ever cleared the cookies on safari...but my iPhone4 is a junk box. It gets packed with hidden photo cache files regularly and runs out of memory once a week. My droid was better when it worked.

It makes no sense haha. Can't have it all i guess.

 

[jedimasterben]

You're doing it wrong if you're getting so much malware that you need to run any type of scan. I've run Windows for several years now with no real-time malware protection and had zero issues, and I sometimes live in the shadows of the internet - malware abounds there, but as long as you're not an idiot that clicks on every link you see, you're fine.

 

[Sacohen]

It's not a matter of Mac Or Windows.
You have to keep in mind that the ******s that write viruses and mal-ware want to infect as may people as possible so they are written for the largest user base.

There are very few (if any) viruses that are aimed towards Mac's because the user base is still smaller then PC's (Most company's Large to Small will have PC's for their employees, because they are less expensive.

 

[twelvefive]

Both of these are true.

You're doing it wrong if you're getting so much malware that you need to run any type of scan. I've run Windows for several years now with no real-time malware protection and had zero issues, and I sometimes live in the shadows of the internet - malware abounds there, but as long as you're not an idiot that clicks on every link you see, you're fine.

I haven't had a virus since 2003 and i end up on some crazy sites. What browser do you run on your PC? This makes a big difference. Chrome or Firefox with some simple add-ons can greatly increase your PC's security. If I didn't download a lot of stuff, I wouldn't even run an AV program, but the one I do run is the free one from Microsoft.

It's not a matter of Mac Or Windows.
You have to keep in mind that the ******s that write viruses and mal-ware want to infect as may people as possible so they are written for the largest user base.

There are very few (if any) viruses that are aimed towards Mac's because the user base is still smaller then PC's (Most company's Large to Small will have PC's for their employees, because they are less expensive.

The main issue with Apple is the amount you pay for the hardware. Everything Apple sells you is marked way up over MSRP, their hardware isn't different from a PC's and their OS's are actually cheaper, so in theory it should be cheaper to buy an Apple product, but you pay $500 for a hard drive that's worth $1-200 (I might be exaggerating, but not by much).

The newer Apple OS's can be installed on an intel PC.

 

[jedimasterben]

Both of these are true.

I haven't had a virus since 2003 and i end up on some crazy sites. What browser do you run on your PC? This makes a big difference. Chrome or Firefox with some simple add-ons can greatly increase your PC's security. If I didn't download a lot of stuff, I wouldn't even run an AV program, but the one I do run is the free one from Microsoft.

I've used Chrome since... maybe 2011? I think it was version 12 or something like that. It ran like poop for a few versions before that, and I remember thinking 'I'll give it one more shot' and it just blew Firefox out of the water, and has ever since! I've been working on moving my entire school district into Chrome - every user's computer I work on gets Chrome installed if it isn't already, and get all of their favorites and things carried over. I've never heard a peep out of any of those users since!

On Chrome, the only extension I use is Adblock. I never run a computer without it :)

I have Microsoft Security Essentials installed on Windows 8 (I think, I don't even remember installing it, so maybe I didn't yet lol) but have all the real-time stuff off. Anything seemingly malicious I'll scan, but the most I've seen yet is one false positive.

The main issue with Apple is the amount you pay for the hardware. Everything Apple sells you is marked way up over MSRP, their hardware isn't different from a PC's and their OS's are actually cheaper, so in theory it should be cheaper to buy an Apple product, but you pay $500 for a hard drive that's worth $1-200 (I might be exaggerating, but not by much).

The newer Apple OS's can be installed on an intel PC.

Their hardware markup is ludicrous. I spent less on my computer and have hardware that is leaps and bounds above what they offer.

 

[Sacohen]

Agreed. Apple basically has no competition. If you want an Apple/Mac you have to get it from them.
The new OS can be installed on any Intel based computer, but it is not always the easiest thing to do. I tried it on a laptop I had a while ago and could never get the correct keyboard drivers to make it function, so I gave up after a while. It was not that important it was just something I was trying to do when the Intel OS first came out and people were creating Hacintosh systems.

 

[SeymourDuncan]

I use chrome on the laptop.
I look at strictly reef related things and that's about it. My girlfriend downloads stuff on her laptop and watch TV on it. It has a much higher percentage of contamination.
So then...what's a good add on for Chrome to prevent this?
I've gotten very good at cleaning the wound, but if I can prevent it from being open in the first place I would gladly do it.

Currently I am scanning the computer now with 17 files detected and it has scanned about 45,000 so far after 8 minutes

 

[SeymourDuncan]

Agreed. Apple basically has no competition. If you want an Apple/Mac you have to get it from them.
The new OS can be installed on any Intel based computer, but it is not always the easiest thing to do. I tried it on a laptop I had a while ago and could never get the correct keyboard drivers to make it function, so I gave up after a while. It was not that important it was just something I was trying to do when the Intel OS first came out and people were creating Hacintosh systems.

I hate switching between keyboards when I go from the Mac to the laptop! I'm sure the pc feels the same way about it. Lol.

 

[jedimasterben]

Agreed. Apple basically has no competition. If you want an Apple/Mac you have to get it from them.
The new OS can be installed on any Intel based computer, but it is not always the easiest thing to do. I tried it on a laptop I had a while ago and could never get the correct keyboard drivers to make it function, so I gave up after a while. It was not that important it was just something I was trying to do when the Intel OS first came out and people were creating Hacintosh systems.

It's sad when it's drivers for a keyboard are what holds you back, further proving that Apple is ridiculous lol.

I use chrome on the laptop.
I look at strictly reef related things and that's about it. My girlfriend downloads stuff on her laptop and watch TV on it. It has a much higher percentage of contamination.
So then...what's a good add on for Chrome to prevent this?
I've gotten very good at cleaning the wound, but if I can prevent it from being open in the first place I would gladly do it.

Currently I am scanning the computer now with 17 files detected and it has scanned about 45,000 so far after 8 minutes

You need to identify what sites it is coming from. Is it your laptop or hers?

For yours, Adblock extension is great and will keep ads down, malicious or not (though on some sites like R2R where the ads are non-intrusive and locally hosted, they won't be blocked).

 

[SeymourDuncan]

I'm extremely happy with the $1300 i paid for my iMac by the way. The computer is a beast and does all my musical recordings, processes animation, edits movies superbly, handles all forms of writing and data entry, and has never lagged on any multitude of tasks I have attempted with my music software, which is more demanding than any video game I have seen. Its just an all around smooth running work horse with top quality everything. The ports are sturdy and fast, which is very important with music. Can't have a lazy signal throwing you of beat. On the laptop its like kakkakllllllalachuckkkk program error

 

[Sacohen]

I hate switching between keyboards when I go from the Mac to the laptop! I'm sure the pc feels the same way about it. Lol.

Agreed again. I was a video editor and I would edit on a MAC (FCP) and then have a PC right next to me for e-mail and office work.
I eventually got to a point where I could switch between them seamlessly, but not anymore since I stopped editing and am now a manager of the post production department.

 

[SeymourDuncan]

It's sad when it's drivers for a keyboard are what holds you back, further proving that Apple is ridiculous lol.


You need to identify what sites it is coming from. Is it your laptop or hers?

For yours, Adblock extension is great and will keep ads down, malicious or not (though on some sites like R2R where the ads are non-intrusive and locally hosted, they won't be blocked).

How do I find where they come from? I'm not completely literate when it comes to things other than actual programs lol

 

[cdness]

Well if you want a perspective from the other side of the fence... My PC at home runs Avast as a real time protection more for the wife and kids than myself. I have not had a virus hit this computer in years, but it is on 100% of the time and used for all tasks from internet surfing to streaming videos to remote desktop into my work network and launching Microsoft hyper-V for terminal access... It is over 5 years old and screams performance even though the hard drive is FULL of digital photos of the kids and family vacations (and the reef tank of course). I run no real-time malware, I don't clear cookies, I don't run virus scans regularly, I don't clear the cache and do not deal with performance issues ever... Best of all is I custom built this machine from individual parts for less than $600.

I do have a Mac I have to use occasionally at work... While I understand the OS to some seems easy, but to me it is backwards and seems like the IT based options are always hidden. I look for things with standard names but I realize there is some gimicky name given to it instead to make end users find it better. The lack of a left mouse button on the standard touchpad is downright annoying. In order to use it 100% of the time I would either need to bootcamp the machine with Windows or run all my apps in Microsoft Remote Desktop Services (which by the way is no longer supported with Microsoft RDC on the latest OS).

Am I a fan of Windows 8 (Server 2012) interface, not yet but it is winning me over as time progresses. Once you understand the changes it is so simple even my 2 1/2 year old daughter can navigate the computer. It is the older generation that is going to freak out while the younger generations will pick it up and run with it.

 

[GHill762]

yeah.. I have had the same windows OS laptop for ~5 years and IIRC only 1 virus in that timeframe.. I swear by AVG free antivirus. I'm not an apple person, never have been and never will be, they're nice computers, but I don't like the feel of the GUI.

 

[Sacohen]

I too swear by Avast and any virus I have had was my own doing.
I was warned, but maybe didn't listen, because I needed to get to that website for something or whatever reason.

As I said before I consistently use both Mac's and PC's and I can take either or leave it. They are a tool to get a job done and I have had FAR less trouble with Mac's in terms of viruses and Mal-ware, but they have their issues also.

 

[SeymourDuncan]

I have avast running always on both laptops and still they weasel their dirty little fingers onto my stuff. Grrr. I'm seriously about to just go all apple and get a MacBook. Toss my windows out the window!

 

[twelvefive]

For chrome extensions, adblock plus is a must. It pretty much blocks all ads including pop ups, but some won't be blocked like stated above, you don't have to mess with it once it's set up.

NoScript is also a good one. It blocks everything adblock plus doesn't. The only drawback is that it will also block embedded videos and other stuff, but it's simple to right click on the blocked icon and allow individual items. I believe you can also set it to not block on certain pages/domains.

Honestly, you can build a PC that will edit video and images and sound just as quickly as your Apple at around half the cost.

I used to sweat by AVG, but it ****** me off about a year ago with some update it kept annoying me with.

I may be old, but I hate windows 8,but I'm also in tech support at a large company and it's worthless in that aspect. It's as worthless as vista in a corporate environment.

 

[SeymourDuncan]

For chrome extensions, adblock plus is a must. It pretty much blocks all ads including pop ups, but some won't be blocked like stated above, you don't have to mess with it once it's set up.

NoScript is also a good one. It blocks everything adblock plus doesn't. The only drawback is that it will also block embedded videos and other stuff, but it's simple to right click on the blocked icon and allow individual items. I believe you can also set it to not block on certain pages/domains.

Honestly, you can build a PC that will edit video and images and sound just as quickly as your Apple at around half the cost.

I used to sweat by AVG, but it ****** me off about a year ago with some update it kept annoying me with.

I may be old, but I hate windows 8,but I'm also in tech support at a large company and it's worthless in that aspect. It's as worthless as vista in a corporate environment.

I'll give that a whirl and let ya know how it goes. Malwarebytes removed 163 viruses when it was done scanning earlier today. My girlfriends laptop had 725, which is actually pretty low for hers. You'd think she was spending days on dirty websites but its all chick flicks and TV shows. I'll throw chrome up on hers with the same settings as well and see if it helps.

 

[SeymourDuncan]

Apparently NoScript is not on Chrome? Any alternatives?

 

[twelvefive]

Apparently NoScript is not on Chrome? Any alternatives?

ScriptSafe

I also run Ghostery to block trackers and cookies from most sites.

I don't run it, but PrivacyPalette looks nice.