Ourreaders roll in the hay it when we spell about Mac security . But the response to July ’s Protect Your Mac feature article was unusually strong . Maybe because now that you could run Windows on a Mac , you could get Windows viruses , Trojan horses , and so on . But OS X itself is n’t invulnerable just because of its Unix - based computer architecture , its security shaft , the Mac ’s relatively small market plowshare , and — last but not least — the corporate estimator savvy of Mac users . Should the Mac ’s market place contribution ever grow , will all that be enough ? turn over on that firewall and antivirus app just in case .
Is it safe?
Michael Tennes — In “ Protect Your Mac ” ( July 2006 ) , I was surprised that you overlooked one of the most authoritative security measure to protect your data and your privateness : dress an Open Firmware watchword . If someone bring up your Mac from an oculus sinister disco biscuit initiation disc , that person can set or readjust the system watchword and have full administrator approach to your entire system . set a firmware parole with Apple’sOpen Firmware Password utilitycan make that much harder .
in effect point . But even an Open Firmware password is n’t 100 pct untroubled . For example , anyone who can physically spread your Mac can readjust it.—Dan Miller
Pam Bishop — Why would you commend paying $ 30 for Allume ’s net Cleanup program when the Reset Safari command in the Safari menu does the same thing — trash caches , cookies , and so on ?
No , it ’s not at all unmanageable to clean up after Safari manually . But we like to excuse all the alternative . As our review ofInternet Cleanupnoted , it can still do more than Safari alone.—Scholle Sawyer McFarland
Geoff Hart — You made one important omission in your advice about security measures measures for Macs running Windows : spyware . Last time I updated the software system on my microcomputer , something like 40,000 spyware programs were out there “ in the wild , ” and no one piece of software can protect against all of them . Some spyware infection are every routine as spoilt , and as voiceless to transfer , as viruses and Trojans . If you employ Windows , antispyware software is no longer optional . If you ’re running Windows on a Mac , two popular ( and barren ) computer program can do the job : SpyBot Search and DestroyandAd - Aware Personal . But if you plan to utilise Windows extensively , you ’ll need something stronger . See windowssecrets.com for recommendations .
Getting the boot
Michael Sparks — I have my reservations about the arrival of Boot Camp ( “ Boot Camp FAQs , ” July 2006 ) . So what if I can bunk Microsoft Office in Windows XP on a Mac ? It ’s still die hard on an old and unstable operating system . Why would I want to dumb down my Mac so it can be exposed to one thousand of viruses , or even get the Blue Screen of Death ? Also , if enough Mac substance abuser stop buy Mac software and start buying more Windows - based software program to run on their mack , we will lose our programming edge .
For the great unwashed who can leave Windows behind , great — they’ve got a Mac . For those who must endure Windows software system ( in many manufacture , there are simply no Mac versions of required software program ) , they can now buy a Mac that runs both . That enunciate , the best solution for Mac users who need to run Windows software is Parallels Desktop . You should turn to Boot Camp only when your peripherals wo n’t work out in Parallels or you need immobile graphics for game and such.—Rob Griffith
Scott Benton — Your coverage of the new Rosetta emulation applied science for Intel Macs ( which lets those systems run computer software written for PowerPC chips ) has been far too kind . My partners and I run a small excogitation and production studio apartment . We lately bought two Intel - based iMacs , dilute with 1 GB of RAM and plenty of hard - private road space . But we ’ve been completely unable to melt the current versions of Adobe InDesign CS2 , Illustrator CS2 , and Photoshop CS2 on them . Rosetta failed miserably with even a small amount of multitasking , and die an even rapid death when we seek to work over our web . Our G5s and even some erstwhile G4s importantly outpace the Intel iMacs . We ’ve subsequently trade in those two iMacs for one G5 tower , and we ’ve been much more productive since .
Voice of caution
Francois Bacave — Your clause on VoIP and Internet telephone was very utile ( Reviews , July 2006 ) . But it failed to mention one of import thing about VoIP religious service : because it relies on a computer that needs electrical current , it wo n’t work if your power goes out . At home , a traditional phone is still a necessity unless you keep your electric cell earpiece charged at all times .
Surfing Safari
Bob Gulian — ReadingMacworld , one might think that Safari is the only web browser available for OS X. But it ’s not . Camino is an oxygen X rewrite of Mozilla ’s Firefox . It amply support manufacture standards such asECMAScriptand the W3C Document Object Model ( DOM)specification ; Safari falls short in its support of both . Camino start up and adulterate entanglement pages faster than Safari . In short , Mac exploiter have a world - class , free alternative to Safari . You might want to mention that to your lector more often .
We focus on Safari because that ’s what the overwhelming bulk of our readers apply . But we do cover other web internet browser — see our revue ofCamino()—and we will continue to do so.—Dan Miller
iPod ideas
Andre Kemp — look at your review of the late iPods , which now have radio set transmitters , video connectors for your telecasting , and voice recorder , pee-pee me inquire : when do we get the iPod camcorder ? Somebody must be able to forecast out how to connect an iSight or a vane photographic camera to an iPod and — bingo!—create a 60 GB camcorder .
Jesus Garcia — In your July 2006 payoff , you mention the Risse Racing Mork Mount ( iPod Gear ) . I feel compelled to show out that listening to music while cycling outdoors is not a sound theme . When you are on a bike , you need to be aware of what ’s going on around you ( citizenry walk and running , other rockers , and , most significantly , cars ) . Listening to an iPod while you ride can make that harder .
I check . As I noted in the full review , “ we do n’t recommend listening to an iPod when share the route with automobile and pedestrian ; but for dedicated bike route and roads , medicine can be a greatriding companion ” ( ) . warning or not , the great unwashed are going to listen to iPods while rally ; at least with the Mork Mount they can keep their centre on the road.—Dan Frakes
We blush
Richard F. Thompkins — Your piece on Disk Utility ( Disk Utility ’s Hidden Talents , Working Mac , July 2006 ) was just glorious . I ’m exhibit it to some old Mac hands who never knew what that computer program could do . give thanks you so much .
