# Superiority of Apple **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 5, 2014, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superiority-of-apple/706402 "2014-12-05T12:39:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![emcee2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emcee2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emcee2k)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2014, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superiority-of-apple/706402/21 "2014-12-05T21:18:18Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > So you think **BaldDudePeekskill** is probably a woman? :dubious: > > Anyway, in my experience, the widespread belief that porn sites are _particularly_ likely to infect your computer with malware, is largely a myth. I don’t know if **BaldDudePeekskill** is a man or woman, but he or she does mention a husband in the OP. I wasn’t trying to imply anything with “computer habits”, and wasn’t even taking about “drive-by” malware installs (which are largely a myth). I was talking more about installing every “smiley pack” and add-on bar. Blinding hit “next, next, agree, next…” on every install. Running email attachments, or installing some “some required flash update” from some site that’s clearly not Adobe. Things like that. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2014, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superiority-of-apple/706402/22 "2014-12-05T21:37:19Z")
My iPad 2 hasn’t been the same since I updated to IOS 8. I hoped 8.1 would be better, but it’s even worse. Dunno how common this experience is. I acknowledge I should have just not updated. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2014, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superiority-of-apple/706402/23 "2014-12-05T22:04:19Z")
> [@AnthonyElite](#): > > . . . Apples are not superior. Their user-base consists of people that enjoy being sandboxed. They are error free in the things they work with - however neutered a selection you have to work with. If you’re happy with imposed limitations then Apple is the product for you. If you enjoy your freedom stay away. This is my opinion also… But… Factual question: can a Mac user create a new desktop icon that goes with an application shortcut? (I know these are Windows terms, but help me out here.) For the PC, there are a good dozen “Icon Editors,” where I can paint a completely new icon (.ico file) and associate it with my app/shortcut. I can draw anything, in tons of colors, in a 32 x 32 frame. Eyeballs on fire, naked Wonder Woman, anything. I can associate the icon with Word or Malwarebytes or Photoshop if I want. Do Macs permit this level of customization of icons? Are there free icon drawing tools for Macs? This is the kind of individualized personal poop that makes me love the Windows environment. I can do all sorts of things my way. (Okay, less in W7 than in previous versions…) ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2014, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superiority-of-apple/706402/24 "2014-12-05T22:31:49Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > This is my opinion also… But… > > Factual question: can a Mac user create a new desktop icon that goes with an application shortcut? (I know these are Windows terms, but help me out here.) > > For the PC, there are a good dozen “Icon Editors,” where I can paint a completely new icon (.ico file) and associate it with my app/shortcut. I can draw anything, in tons of colors, in a 32 x 32 frame. Eyeballs on fire, naked Wonder Woman, anything. I can associate the icon with Word or Malwarebytes or Photoshop if I want. > > Do Macs permit this level of customization of icons? Are there free icon drawing tools for Macs? > > This is the kind of individualized personal poop that makes me love the Windows environment. I can do all sorts of things my way. (Okay, less in W7 than in previous versions…) In a Mac, you’ve always been able to customize the icon, for programs, shortcuts, folders, individual files (not just file types), etc. In fact, this is a simple drag-and-drop operation. I haven’t ever created my own icons, but I’d be amazed if there aren’t free tools for doing it. (Not only can you change icons, you can even custom-color the text section of the file name using Labels.) ---
**Author:** ![BaldDudePeekskill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5e925/32.png) [@BaldDudePeekskill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaldDudePeekskill)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2014, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superiority-of-apple/706402/25 "2014-12-05T22:41:18Z")
Hey guys, the Bald dude, thankfully is male. I’ve got a same sex spouse, who better not be going to those dark corners of the internet and picking up bad stuff. One of the replies mentioned Java…I recently downloaded something about a Java update or such…that may well be it. I never has this problem with any other non Mac computer before or with my Dells. I also have Windows 7 running so it may well be time for a total wipe clean and reinstall of a newer OS. I am wondering if the proliferation of problems has anything to do with Fios broadband…but rather than agonizing, it’ll just be advantageous to give Windows another shot and clean 'er up. I will definitely look into the programs you all have mentioned. I had no choice but to install Norton…it’s policy of my firm for VPN users to specifically use Norton. I guess I’m naive, but I don’t see the point of viruses…unless of course the virus hooks up to my webcam to watch me spew forth expletives in Sicilian? ---
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2014, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superiority-of-apple/706402/26 "2014-12-05T22:51:16Z")
> [@AnthonyElite](#): > > Their user-base consists of people that enjoy being sandboxed. They are error free in the things they work with - however neutered a selection you have to work with. If you’re happy with imposed limitations then Apple is the product for you. If you enjoy your freedom stay away. What limitations are you referring to? ---
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2014, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superiority-of-apple/706402/27 "2014-12-05T22:54:40Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Do Macs permit this level of customization of icons? Are there free icon drawing tools for Macs? Yes. You can use any image you like, including a high-res photo. Basically you just open the properties for the application and [drag or paste the image](http://www.tekrevue.com/tip/custom-icons-os-x/). ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superiority-of-apple/706402/28 "2014-12-06T00:46:58Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > In a Mac, you’ve always been able to customize the icon, for programs, shortcuts, folders, individual files (not just file types), etc. In fact, this is a simple drag-and-drop operation. I haven’t ever created my own icons, but I’d be amazed if there aren’t free tools for doing it. > > (Not only can you change icons, you can even custom-color the text section of the file name using Labels.) > [@tellyworth](#): > > Yes. You can use any image you like, including a high-res photo. Basically you just open the properties for the application and [drag or paste the image](http://www.tekrevue.com/tip/custom-icons-os-x/). Cool! Thanks! For some really dumb reason, I had thought this wasn’t possible. Ignorance fought! (I have a good many friends who use Macs, and they simply never do this. I can’t guess why; for me, it’s a must!) ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superiority-of-apple/706402/29 "2014-12-06T02:05:55Z")
> [@AnthonyElite](#): > > No. > Apples are not superior. Their user-base consists of people that enjoy being sandboxed. They are error free in the things they work with - however neutered a selection you have to work with. If you’re happy with imposed limitations then Apple is the product for you. If you enjoy your freedom stay away. Out of interest, what do you think is sandboxed on a Mac? Don’t confuse sensible, designed from the ground up multi-user restrictions with sandboxing. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superiority-of-apple/706402/30 "2014-12-06T02:08:30Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > If you think picking up “crazy cookies” is a security problem, that just shows that (like many Apple users) you are clueless about computer security. So the same as most Windows users then? As an example, almost all “viruses” that people claim they get these days aren’t viruses. Trojans which are normally spread via social engineering, yes. But not viruses. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superiority-of-apple/706402/31 "2014-12-06T02:32:53Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > So the same as most Windows users then? > > As an example, almost all “viruses” that people claim they get these days aren’t viruses. Trojans which are normally spread via social engineering, yes. But not viruses. Yup we had a mac come into our shop full of “helper” programs just a couple days ago. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superiority-of-apple/706402/32 "2014-12-06T02:56:05Z")
Hey guys, can we talk about gun control for circumcised aborted fetuses who declaw their cats next? I have used PCs in some capacity for over 25 years. I have used Macs almost as long and much less frequently. There are many, many reasons why I prefer Macs less, but that’s another thread. I probably haven’t used Norton since 2000, and there are much better (and free) options out there. I concur that you are probably not removing the infection. To make a rough analogy, you are cutting down the weeds but leaving the roots. Find out what virus/trojan/malware it is and google the name, or google the error messages for info on how to remove. Or just wipe the HD as said. > [@njtt](#): > > If you think picking up “crazy cookies” is a security problem, that just shows that (like many Apple users) you are clueless about computer security. Cookies do no significant harm (except in very exceptional circumstances) and quite a lot of good, and, anyway, you will pick them up just much on an Apple system (or Linux, come to that) as on a Windows or an Android one. Snip. To expand, malware means “programs that shouldn’t be there,” but many of them are _basically_ harmless. Some of it may damage your files, steal info, etc. but many of it is just browser toolbars and such which are annoying but not system-breaking. And in many ways they are hard to avoid. The best way is to do research on which programs have them piggybacking, and also by making sure to read the installer instructions, as some tack on additional programs that you need to opt out of. Similarly, some people decry cookies but most of them are harmless and necessary for normal browsing. But some consider it an intrusion. Also, would not cookies be mostly the same for PC/Mac? > [@Turble](#): > > When you download something, right-click and let Malwarebytes scan it before you install it. If I am not mistaken, this program is not a replacement for antivirus, at least with the free version. And as 99% of malware is not virulent like viruses are, you can also fix it later, but you should be using a good program that is primarily a virus scanner. Err, what’s wrong with Spybot? The anti-malware, not the worm, and only the one from the official website, CNET, etc.! > [@Recusant](#): > > a personal computer that runs an Apple operating system is still a personal computer. True, but that’s a narrowly prescriptivist stance and for all intents and purposes PC means “Windows-based personal computer based upon original IBM-compatible intrastructure” in shorthand. > [@P-man](#): > > My iPad 2 hasn’t been the same since I updated to IOS 8. I hoped 8.1 would be better, but it’s even worse. Dunno how common this experience is. I acknowledge I should have just not updated. Heh heh. Replace iOS with Windows, and it’s still a statement people make, version numbers and all! ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superiority-of-apple/706402/33 "2014-12-06T02:56:47Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > Out of interest, what do you think is sandboxed on a Mac? > > Don’t confuse sensible, designed from the ground up multi-user restrictions with sandboxing. From the horse’s mouth: [https://www.apple.com/osx/what-is/security/](https://www.apple.com/osx/what-is/security/) > [@](#): > > App sandboxing isolates apps from the critical system components of your Mac, your data, and your other apps. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superiority-of-apple/706402/34 "2014-12-06T03:26:00Z")
Only apps from the Mac App Store are sandboxed. Mac users are free to use non-sandboxed apps available directly from their developers. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superiority-of-apple/706402/35 "2014-12-06T06:57:47Z")
I run and support both Windows and OSX. The secret to malware free Windows computing is to create an administrator account called Install Software, and a user account for daily use with Standard privileges. And read every install prompt carefully for every free program. I set a friend up like this and made sre she never gave her kids the admin password, and it has worked flawlessly for years. Every so often I log in and install updates. The difference between Windows and OSX is that the default account in Windows has root privileges. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superiority-of-apple/706402/36 "2014-12-06T07:12:49Z")
I use Windows, OS X, and (Mint) Linux regularly. I tend to like OS X the least. Windows is sufficiently different enough from Unix-likes that a lot of stuff doesn’t work, and yes, there are some missteps, but it’s very well supported by many commercial applications so I don’t mind. Linux is great for scientific and academic work. A lot of developers primarily work on Linux, so if you need esoteric scientific code, Linux is your game. OS X exists in this weird netherzone where it’s **not quite** Linux. The front end is certainly nice, but I’ve had so many odd bugs with things that “should” work on OS X. Even with package managers like port and brew, I’ve had the most outright bizarre installation and compilation problems on the platform. It’s frustrating when you’re on Windows and find out you’re not supported. It’s infuriating when you’re ostensibly supported, but have to do tons of troubleshooting. Add onto that poorer commercial software support to Windows, and it’s just not as good for my purposes. Apple’s control freakiness also can harm the ecosystem. OS X didn’t have Open GL 3.3+ support until Mavericks, which is pretty bizarre (even if it’s not in common use and could often be gotten by querying extensions). There’s a ton of “little” things like that that you only notice when tinkering with it. Debuggers are unreliable with certain languages, and so on. Largely because it exists in an ecosystem where developers sort of support OS X because it’s a Unix-derived system, but very few people do primary development on it. Or they’ve hacked their environment so much it’s impossible to recreate their steps. (I downloaded one package recently where the developer’s only suggestion was to install GCC instead of Apple’s clang compiler, because that’s what he did) ---
**Author:** ![Stringbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superiority-of-apple/706402/37 "2014-12-06T08:07:21Z")
Macs are easy as balls to use, virtually crash-free, virus-free, and excellent for the type of work I do with audio processing. PC’s are for the computer geek who really wants to be involved with the nuts ‘n’ bolts. I have little interest in that stuff, and frankly Windows has sucked ass since 98. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superiority-of-apple/706402/38 "2014-12-06T08:27:08Z")
> [@Stringbean](#): > > Macs are easy as balls to use, virtually crash-free, virus-free, and excellent for the type of work I do with audio processing. > > PC’s are for the computer geek who really wants to be involved with the nuts ‘n’ bolts. I have little interest in that stuff, and frankly Windows has sucked ass since 98. One thing I’ll give Macs is that their niche seems to be extremely good art software – audio and video editing, effects processing, drawing, etc. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Joker\_and\_the\_Thief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e79b87/32.png) [@The\_Joker\_and\_the\_Thief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Joker_and_the_Thief)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superiority-of-apple/706402/39 "2014-12-06T08:34:55Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > From the horse’s mouth: > > [https://www.apple.com/osx/what-is/security/](https://www.apple.com/osx/what-is/security/) App sandboxing is only required (and ergo, is only ever used) for apps downloaded from the App Store (both of which are POS, IMO) but any random crap you download online and run can do whatever the hell it wants to OS X. I don’t really have any skin in this game, btw–I’ve used OS X and windows, think they’re both becoming too infantilized, and chose a mac because Macbook Air’s were surprisingly dominant over Windows-based ultrabooks for my purposes. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superiority-of-apple/706402/40 "2014-12-06T08:38:09Z")
> [@Stringbean](#): > > Macs are easy as balls to use, virtually crash-free, virus-free, and excellent for the type of work I do with audio processing. > > PC’s are for the computer geek who really wants to be involved with the nuts ‘n’ bolts. I have little interest in that stuff, and frankly Windows has sucked ass since 98. You do realize that your argument is analogous to: “video gamers are all complete nerds, hiding in their vast majority of basements ([one example](http://www.esrb.org/about/video-game-industry-statistics.jsp)). Damn 34 year old kids.” This is 2014 and the references are bizarre. Windows controls the [majority of use](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usage_share_of_operating_systems), upwards of 80-90% of users. Are those all techies? Goddamn geeks, where are they hiding? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superiority-of-apple/706402.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superiority-of-apple/706402.md?page=3)