After Leopard: Apple’s Parting Gift to Tiger Users

I have installed all of the updates to Tiger on my G4 Power Mac MDD with no problems at all, including #11. I had updated Safari to 3.0 some time ago, so this was nothing new here.

I have seen failures to the latest automatic updates of iTunes & Quicktime on the Windows XP machines - having to manually download and install, but not on the Apple.

Debating whether or not to upgrade this machine to Leopard or just break down and buy a new iMac as this G4 was purchased used from a state surplus auction, as was my last one, a lesser powered G4 digital audio model.

I wish people would stop saying that Macs don’t get them, because they can. They are better protected than Windoze, but nothing is impossible. The last virus that I remember on a Mac was back in OS 9 days. It was a malicious one and did damage - no fun at all.

If we’d just keep quiet about this, maybe we wouldn’t be tempting someone to write one. So please, buy Windows machines — so my Mac will keep being virus-free — just don’t say it too loud.

ex ped: The claim is that OS X has never had a virus in the wild. –Philip Elmer-DeWitt

I suggest you check the “boards” again. This is yet another problematic Apple update. Many reports of system startup problems and Safari freezes after the update. I bypassed the .10 update as it was reported to cause random system freezes and networking problems. Ever since the iphone Apple has fallen down on the job on the computer side of their business. They rushed Leopard to meet the self imposed Oct. deadline. The Aluminum iMac has lots of complaints of random freezing. I am reluctantly bypassing this update as well, hoping beyond hope that there is a .12 and that Apple finally gets it right.

hey Microsoft cares about its legacy users! my boss (against my advice) just ordered a dell and it was offered by dell with xp professional as an Upgrade to vista!

macs separation of resource and data forks make it pretty much impossible to hide malicious code in some text or a picture. applications call to the toolbox for stuff like windows and buttons and a hacker to do anything would have to get into the toolbox itself and screw around. your mac would let you know (no background instals allowed) I’m sure there’s a hacker out there who would want to have bragging rights to be the first! the weasels seem to have more than enough energy and time on their hands (almost like norton and mcaffe are subsidizing the little beggars ) hmmmmm…

Do you know why people protest so much about the scarcity of Mac viruses? Because they can’t stand it! They’re in a jealous rage, and they’re begging the Gods for a Mac virus! Darn it! It’s just not fair. Somebody, I’m begging you, please make a Mac virus! — to make these twisted souls happy.

“No one as far as I know has ever gotten a virus.” - Posted By Charlie Pinneo, Wyoming, Michigan

I know a few people who have gotten viruses using Apple computers. Apple tries to cover up the fact that their computers are susceptible to viruses. They are much better than Microsoft computers, but they are not incapable of catching viruses. We need to demand that Apple starts telling the truth about their products.

Elmer-DeWitt says “scary sounding security patches” in the lastest Tiger upgrade. Apparently trying to infer that Macs get viruses. Not true, DeWitt. I belong to GRAMUG (Grand Rapids Apple Mac User Group) and we were told not to even bother with virus scanning software. No one as far as I know has ever gotten a virus.

ex ped: No such inference intended. You are right; as far as I know, Mac OS X has never been infected by a virus in the wild. But there are other types of security breaches besides viruses. Follow the link in the story to learn more. — Philip Elmer-DeWitt

Actually Apple has done Current OS and previous OS updates (like Microsoft). So now that 10.5 is out no more should be expected for 10.3, released in Oct 2003. You should be able to use 10.4 unless you are Pre-G3.

If I recall didn’t 10.3.9 come out after 10.4 was released; both show April 2005 release. Somebody has a short memory.

This is not compatible with Panther. It requires OS X 10.4 or higher. Thanks for getting me all excited, though.

ex ped: Correct. Although Panther security fixes are included, the major update is for Tiger. –Philip Elmer-DeWitt

“As more than one commenter has remarked, it shows unusual concern in a personal computer company for its legacy users.”

As there is only one other “personal computer company” of note (i.e., one that produces a vastly distributed operating system), its lack of “concern” might better be termed “unusual”.

If Microsoft made cars they would likely not have recalls for those little things that, for instance, “may cause mechanical failure leading to possible injury or loss of life”. They would just tell you to buy the newest model of their car.