OS X Users not learning?

[MadduckUK]

The second bit sounds like theanimus, but the first doesn't. What's the answer?

[streetster]

I don't claim to be the smartest bloke in the world, I'm dyslexic so sometimes my spelling and grammar isn't the best.

Yup, I know... wasn't trying to be mean - just made me smile as there's quite a difference between waive and wave, especially if it's related to your manhood

[Phage]

Interestingly, as the help desk for the family, I saw this one and updated the other half's mac. However I couldn't find the removal tool anywhere.
Why does Apple not have an auto-updater ?

[MadduckUK]

I don't claim to be the smartest bloke in the world, I'm dyslexic so sometimes my spelling and grammar isn't the best.

Wait, did you quote me instead of streetster?

[Petra Ceason]

Interestingly, as the help desk for the family, I saw this one and updated the other half's mac. However I couldn't find the removal tool anywhere.
Why does Apple not have an auto-updater ?

Phage,

Unless we are thinking at cross purposes, you've lost me, I thought my Mac had an auto-updater.
It is set for a weekly review and auto-update, BUT IT DOES ASK PERMISSION, unlike my Wintel machines which update, and restart my Computer without permission. And YES I have told them not to, again and again, but we all know how effective that is don't we? {ie it works for a few days, but after EVERY update resets itself to, 'I'll do what I want to do, up yours.'}

Ever since I owned my first Internet Savvy Mac, I've had Anti-Nasty protection installed, and ditto on all my PCs, Why anyone should feel an urge to castigate Mac owners for believing themselves invulnerable, and omitting to instal protection is beyond me. I do not know of any that do. That is not the definition of a Specific Computer Rig Owner, but of someone who does not understand the potency of the threats 'Out There.' That description covers all Races, All Creeds, and Al types of Rigs. I agree the stats suggest an awful lot of Macs are infected out there, but the next horrid thought is; is mine one of them, despite my high powered protection?

A far more user-friendly thread would be telling those of who us are not-quite-top-flight-programers how to use our paid for and daily updated Anti-Malware, to best ensure our computers are clean and not a threat to our welfare,
or,
as one of an army of bots,
yours either.

Concerned, I am!

Complacent, or any other word with similar undertones, I'm not!

Petra.

[watercooled]

I've never had Windows reboot my PC without asking, it does keep prompting you but that's not a bad thing - there are a lot of people who leave their PC on near constantly without rebooting so they need a nudge to actually get the patches installed. Of course, it occasionally has the opposite effect and causes people, combined with poor advice that it's acceptable to do so, to disable it completely. I can't remember how XP works with auto updates as I had it set to notify only but it's easy enough to make that change and even after installing it never forced me to restart. Neither have the settings been reverted in my experience, but some 'performance/registry optimisers' can have that effect.

Best solution for most people IMO would be, by default, silent install important patches, but nag reboot screen if PC isn't rebooted within say 24 hours. Also, when disabling update/UAC, Windows should attempt to inform the user how potentially dangerous is it in a big, attention-grabbing way and that the person telling them to do it probably doesn't know what they're on about.

The annoyance about the Mac side of things is more aimed at the arrogance of both Apple themselves and the 'experts' who lead other users to believe they are invulnerable to threats. If you have decent anti-malware and keep your Mac fully patched you should be fine, same as Windows.

Advice to any computer user would be, never listen to 'experts' saying it's wise to disable update/UAC/Mac equivalents, use a well-regarded anti-malware package, and pay attention what you click on online. Also, be sure to check links - check the domain name does indeed belong to the company you think it does, realbankname.westealmoney.com for example, isn't your banking website. Never trust emails are from who they appear to be, it's trivial to spoof from addresses. Just stuff like that really...

[Petra Ceason]

Thanks watercooled,
I do follow the guidelines you have indicated.

Like many people I have been hit in the CCard, after using it in a trusted outlet, and as a consequence:-

a} there is a High Street Electronics retailer with whom I never trade,

and

b} I have been known to be difficult with people ringing up genuinely trying to identify me, to confirm hospital appointments. Dunno if this is a feature of all NHS Trusts, but it is in my back yard.

I always take note of experts who say "It isn't necessary to <whatever>." By double checking that I have not taken their advice in the past, and if I have, re-appraising it; and never taking their advice in the future. My view is if it isn't 'necessary', but good practice, just do it anyway.

My Business Wintel PC runs on Vista, it is closed down at night and rebooted the next day, all my machines are. It is set not to restart upgrades without asking, but it does if I'm working in DrawPlus. Maybe it asks and I don't notice, I do get a little rutted and blinkered when I'm designing, and tend to just kill annoying OS Interruptions, without taking too much notice, so I am admitting the possibility.

But

There are instructions you can give -- just picking random examples -- Vista, {Don't update without permission} Word, {Use British Dictionary} Acrobat, {Embed all fonts when distilling} etc. etc. til your typing finger's tired, and all you'll get is the benefit of the exercise. Five minutes, or five hours, or five days later, at just the worst moment, crunch, they turn on you and bite your leg. And this happens on both my platforms Mac and PC.

But to pull back to topic to finish with, all my machines are protected with a quality product, and, like you, I 'never listen to 'experts' saying it's wise to disable update/UAC/Mac equivalents' and I do agree 'Update, and Protect' all computers it is necessary!

Thanks again for the reassurance.

[watercooled]

I also get phone calls from NHS, but I agree it's bad practice to phone someone than ask them to confirm who they are! NHS generally only ask for DOB but, for all the good it would likely do, you could hang up, dial the hospital yourself, confirm it that way (unless - computer says nooo) and attempt to explain the problem to the receptionist.

Settings resetting does sound strange if I'm honest, of course various software may act differently (it's a long time since I've used the bloated, insecure monstrosity that is Adobe Reader), but I've not noticed Windows doing it. You don't use any registry cleaners/PC speed optimiser type software do you?

[Petra Ceason]

Back again watercooled,

It was the full Acrobat, I was distilling a .ps file for my Internet Publisher.
{Sadly they can only accept .pdf files distilled in Acrobat Distiller, otherwise I wouldn't go near Adobe -- Don't get me started I could Bitch on about them and qualify for a PhD. They have made the PC version of Acrobat 9 Professional incompatible with Serif Files, are they running scared of Serif's lovely user friendly Programs and 5 Star Customer Service? I only ask.}

Settings resetting is quite normal in my little cubby-hole, and usually precipitates unrepeatable, muttered incantations under my breath.

No I don't have any registry cleaners/PC speed optimiser.
I'd be scared to touch the registry, that's deep into 'Here be Dragons' territory.

One thing I do get, after a long session on line, and I go to save a few pages of text, is 'Insufficient Memory to complete the task. Close one or two applications and try again.' or similar, and I have one text window open in one application, Notepad.
I've heard it's something to do with Memory Bleed, {I have 8 Gigs of RAM} involving Firefox and McAfee. Which I don't really understand apart from, 'Memory Bleed? With 8 Gigs, that's an Artery pumping.'
Oh, and by the way, the text is usually saved despite the warning, which is something.

[peterb]

Memory bleed (or memory leak) is when an applicatiin fails (through poor design uisually) fails to release memory it uses during the time slice it is allocated for processing. Over time this gradually uses up the available memory to other applications so they run more slowly. In extreme cases ther result is BSOD! If an application uses the published APIs for an OS it shouldn't happen.

(That is a very simplified explanation, no doubt any computer science students will correct my assumptions and provide a more detailed one )

[Behemoth]

Wait, did you quote me instead of streetster?

See what I mean ? Case in point I think !

[Petra Ceason]

Thanks peterb,

My only problem now is 'Which of the three programs I was using AND WANTED is responsible, or was it one of the Umpteen Windows has running in the background?'

I doubt I'll ever know.

And you're correct, if there was a minute fly in that ointment you posted for me, you can bet your mouse that some sm*rt-*ss First Day Fresher will point it out. I'm an retired teacher, and I've been there, done that, got------------------------

[watercooled]

If I had to pick something to blame, it would be McAfee, it's caused more problems than I care to remember on systems I've worked on and fails to detect so much malware when compared to the likes of Eset/Kaspersky. IMO next time your license runs out, pick something better. Even if that isn't the cause of the problem it's still well worth doing.

[Petra Ceason]

Watercooled,

You are the second person to come out with EXACTLY that analysis.

I WAS with Kaspersky, but moved to McAfee because it covered both PC and Mac platforms.

You've got me seriously re-considering.

Thanks again,

Petra.

[Behemoth]

If I had to pick something to blame, it would be McAfee, it's caused more problems than I care to remember on systems I've worked on and fails to detect so much malware when compared to the likes of Eset/Kaspersky. IMO next time your license runs out, pick something better. Even if that isn't the cause of the problem it's still well worth doing.

Not to mention the dross that is Symantec and Norton, over inflated tatt that has a hard job catching flies.

[watercooled]

Yeah I was going to mention Norton as one to avoid but I've heard it's improved a lot since the 360 days. Take that with a pinch of salt though as I read much into it. I believe both Kaspersky and ESET have Mac versions now. There are other good AV packages out there, these are just two I'm comfortable recommending based on experience.