Mac pro ordered!

If you use a ADSL router that incorporates NAT (Name and Address Translation) you get some degree of firewall type protection, plus OSX has settings for firewall.

Anti virus so far only really needed to protect you sending on viruses received from Windows Users in attachment files.

NAT = Network Address Translation

Boost the RAM as far as possible and look out for a Blu-Ray disk drive that works!

Jono

If you plan interacting with people who do not have a Mac, you might want to consider running Parallels with Windows, underneath OSX. It is so easy to run both platforms nowadays. Also, if you intend sharing files with Windows users an antivirus package prevents you from infecting them with stuff from which you may be immune.

The Missing Manuals series offer some useful titles for Mac newbs.

I use the firewall in my router, but Little Snitch is a useful piece of software. At the very least it lets you know which software is phoning home.

I would hold fire on the latest version of Office for Mac, I have no experience of iWork.

For Pro applications and heavy duty picture editing, RAM, RAM and more RAM.

Apple's discussion forums are a very useful source of support.

Andy

I'm a lightweight when it comes to processing power - I'm really pleased with my 24" imac. For ram, I used crucial.com on more than one occasion - Apple tends to charge alot for this!

Peter

Hi,

Have been on the apple forums extensively over the last six months or so - so for £55 am happy to try iWork out.

I have also used crucial with no probs with their products at all - they will be used again when funds allow.

Won't be altering the drives - the comp is purchased for media work plus use of Studio8 into a motu when funds allow - I'm really into my piano so hi-fi is 2nd best!

I collect the mac pro on Fri - sat pm is put aside for installation of various things plus a nosey round!

Also, the plan according to my wife is to change the acer notebook for an apple one later in the year!

Andy

iWork is OK and will let you do the basics....so on the 80:20 principal it either does the job 80% of the time or does the job 100% of the time for 80% of us....if you follow that convoluted logic. Unless you are a real power user of WP, spreadsheets etc then it should suffice.

I second the RAM, RAM and more RAM comment for power apps though....3rd party RAM from a good source will be fine and a lot cheaper than buying from Apple.

Have fun.

Cheers

Jim

I would not put antiviruse on a mac simply to protect windows users.

If a virus comes through on a mac then its clearly stated as an executable file as an attachment, you cannot miss it.

No point bogging down a mac for that.

Make sure you post some tasty pics of the new love of your life when it arrives, Andy!

quote:

Originally posted by garyi:

If a virus comes through on a mac then its clearly stated as an executable file as an attachment, you cannot miss it.

My understanding is that viruses embedded in macros are not recognised as executable files. If you are sharing powerpoint or excel sheets this can be an issue.

.com and .doc files are also easy hiding places that may not readily represent themselves as vectors. Of course, you don't have to open these documents but that somewhat does away with any cross OS file sharing.

quote:

In particular, the consensus is no firewall

Hi Andy

I don't agree.

Use IPFW the OS X built-in firewall - it is on you're Mac and it will protect you. Although DSL routers usually contain a firewall or NAT (which hides your computer from the Internet), it is still useful to have the OS X firewall as if you use wireless at anytime then there are routes in to your computer that do not go through the router - you remain safe. I have never found a penalty for running the OS X firewall - so why not keep it on.

Keep your software up to date using Software Update.

I use the free ClamXav to safeguard PC users who I may send files to.

It's a great machine you have - I'd see how it goes and if for any reason it does go slow then adding RAM will do the trick. However, it is higher spec than any I'm currently using so I would not envisage it running slow unless Studio-8 is very memory hungry application.

Both iWork and iLife are fine - easy to use and effective.

Enjoy your computing

ATB Rotf

For the cost of the download get a copy of NeoOffice the Mac version of Open Office a open source office suite
NeoOffice web site

Apart from a word processor, spread sheet it also contains a database, drawing package etc a supposed replacement for MS Office.

I have been using AVG free edition for a while now, and i am hoping to network to my notebook which is XP pro...so I may bite the bullet just in case, but we'll see.

For a dodgy macro etc to be present in an excel file, it had t be created on a PC. Again this is not the business or concern of the average mac user.

I exchange files with work literally every day of the week. I have done for very many years and never, ever has the PC at work ever flagged an issue with any files.

I would not consider antivirus for my macs untila credible threat for macs comes along. People who choose to use PCs, well thats their decision, but as viruses are not created, propagated or dispatched via macs, the worse that can happen is that someone passes it on. I would be interested in ANY stats that can ascertain if a mac did pass on a virus, vs how many pcs passed the same virus on.

Now in terms of social engineering, i.e. dogy websites, dodgy emails purporting to be eBay etc. Well thats down to the user, an error between the chair and keyboard will always happen regardless of platform used. Antivirus will not help in this regard.

If you are worried that you are a muppet, use the anti phishing filters in firefox. Again no need for antivirus on the mac.

I am not being complacent I have used macs with broadband internet for at least 8 yeas, and lets get down to brass tacks here, I am a net addict and I visit all manner of sites. In all that time I have never ever encountered anything even remotely approaching being a threat to my platform.

I believe there was new proof of concept came out last year for mac, however it still required social engineering (A pop up box telling users there was a required pluggin for quicktime needed) and then the input of a user name and password to install. Once implemented all it did was 'phone' home.

No doubt macs time will come, but now and ever since then there has been very little.

Gary - I don't deny that for the average domestic Mac user the threat is low BUT many of my friends use PC based systems for work and Macs for fun. To an extent there is cross over between the machines, and if you are using complex statistical models and large databases, macros are unavoidable. One friend has migrated all his natural catastrophe modelling work to a Mac based system, but some of the Industry software is only available in Windows, so he runs Parallel with XP.

Once you move to an environment where you expect to be sharing files, as is often the case with musicians, then it is better to be safe than sorry. It is not the threat from a website that you have to worry about, rather the security of your file sharing partner who may be on a PC, be they the vector or unwilling recipient of an undetected piece of malware.

It may not affect you as Mac user, but the legal landscape is shifting and there are always people willing to test the law with respect to personal liability. It is already clear that wilful distribution of a virus is a crime (EU and US), many jurisdictions are currently testing the water with respect to the blame for unwitting distribution. A stumbling block is that computer data is not always considered property and so a loss is regarded as unrecoverable. There is also quite a long way to go in defining the appropriate duty of care.

My feeling is that you do not hurt yourself by having antivirus software on a Mac if you share files. If you don't, then it is probably redundant.

Garyi

I agree with much of what you say but even Apple says it's is not a bad idea to run AV software..

"A Mac running with factory settings will protect you from viruses much better than a PC, but it’s never a bad idea to run extra virus and security software."

Check out this Apple link on their site and look at the small print at the bottom of the page.

Cheers

Jim

I have tried them all with Norton being the worse and CLamVX being the freeist. In all cases it makes the mac boggy and until there is a credible threat mines staying AV free.

HUwge. The macro issue will have come from a PC. Do you understand what I am saying? It will not have originated from a mac. Whats legality got to do with it?

Excel on a mac will ask if you want to activate macros just like a PC.

Yes - but you don't have to activate to distribute, do you understand what I am saying?

If you are the source of a distributed virus then you may now or at some point in the future, in a given jurisdiction, have a personal liability (whether one thinks that is fair or correct is irrelevant).

I just think that this is something to bear in mind.

Its bore, but I will still not bog down my system because someone with an unprotected PC is at risk. PCs carry in excess of 20,000 viruses and the like, Mac OSX, 0.

The onus is on a PC user to protect his system, its his system after all at risk.


As I said I have traded back and forth netween works PC and home macs for many years and have never experienced any issues what so ever.

I would Huwge be interested to know how you believe I could unwittingly transfer a dodgy Macro to my work place?

Gary, you are a paragon of virtue and so obviously would not transfer a file unwittingly. Others are not necessarily so conscientious or web-wise.

It's just that I am quite sensitive to personal liability, but then I am paid to be.

I bet you don't get colds either.

Quite an uptick from my first Mac!

Might ruin you for a Macbook or Mac mini.

Big H I always get colds, you'll have to explain the similarities to me.

An interesting debate. I've always proffered the 'be safe' bit,so have usually ensured i can know as much as poss what I'm opening before i do it.

I've run various differing av software on both my notebook and main pc, and Avg's free version has not seemed to slow down either comp. Bearing in mind I'll also prob be recieving stuff from mates who do have windows pc's, the ability to scan attachments before opening em appeals. I'll give it some more thought, but one thing I've learned from here is that apple do include a firewall.

So, any other tips?