UNIX is inherently harder to crack, and of course apache is generally run on cheap UNIX or more specifically, linux servers. IIS of course runs on Windows, which is the subject of more attacks and let's way, WAY too many services run as root, or whatever the root equivilent is on Windows.

Mac OS X is based on UNIX right? BSD or something? That's likely a big part of the security in Mac OS, being based on something that was a multi-user operating system for many, many more years than Windows ever was. UNIX has been run on major networks right from the start, wheras Microsoft didn't even build any usable networking functionality into their OS until good old Windows for Workgroups 3.11.

At the business level, NT was really the first honest network-ready OS from Microsoft, to my knowledge. UNIX had already been around for a million years when NT came out, and it was designed from the start to be a secure, multi-user OS enterprise, unlike Windows which was designed from the start to be a single-user desktop OS. I think Mac's extensive push of Macs in the classroom and universities helped drive their focus for network security a lot sooner than Microsoft.

 

Would you care to try and back that up somehow, or are you just going to be like the typical Mac user who makes stuff up, pretending no one else knows better? Even all the way back to Windows 98, all you did was click on the Windows Update icon and internet explorer connected you to the microsoft website, downloaded updates, ran them, and then prompted you to click the OK button to reboot. Ever since XP came out, and especially ever since last summer when service pack 2 came out, XP is self-patching if you're connected to the internet and haven't disabled the auto-update feature.

 

Isn't there some rule about having relgious chat on the forums ;

 

If anyone is curious about GNU/Linux, I suggest downloading a copy of MEPIS burning it, and then reboot from it and the whole OS loads from the CD. No need to install anything or do anything to your HD (but you can in case of emergency). I've been using it for years now and it's been great, no viruses spyware or anything annoying, plus there's thousands of software products available in the built-in catalog system, available to download and install with the click of a button. It's based on the Debian distribution, so you can get any software that's packaged for it.

I have also put it on my Mac and I'm using it as a webserver (as I did before with Mac OS X). Linux is quite a bit more robust in that I very rarely need to reboot. If the graphical layer becomes unstable I can reboot it independently from the kernel.

 

I'm at 208 days without a reboot on my server. Its been basicly 30 days since I even logged into it. It just runs and runs and requires practicaly no maintanence. And upgrades are component level vs os level. To me that last point is a big plus.

 

IMHO, Mac is much better in so many ways. even though I only used OS 8.6.

I am currently using XP Media Center Edition 2005 (in reality is Professional with a few tweaks). I will say the current version of Windows far exceeds previous versions (and seems to me to be copying Mac OS). The professional level seems to be a lot less vulnerable to the viruses (mine had no problems with the current outbreak, family member's had crashed). I never had one problem with security on my Mac, and i never payed attention to security, had no anti-virus programs. I was young and didn't worry about it.

Mac OS, in short time, will be running on PCs ... They have broken away from HP who made thier power PC processors and are working with Intel. I think the prototypes have it fully running in less than 20 seconds from when you press the power button. Quite impressive, but it is because they don't use any form of DOS, i can't remember exactly but i think image something or another ...

I think it doesn't really matter in the long run, use what you like, what is availible, or what you can afford. The internet is the same regardless, and for most people, that is all that matters. NOTHING will be 100% secure, unless you don't network your computer at all or you have strict control over who is on the network and they are truly trustworthy. A hacker will hack whatever they want, if they feel like it ... not just the easy stuff. Some will find the challenge more interesting, and push themselves to find a way. It is fun for some of them, like a game, not all are out for your bank account.

I still love Macs more, but my XP MCE 05 has definately taken the bad taste out of my mouth that previous Windows OS systems have given me. Still not as problem-free as the mac, but much much better than I had ever expected.