The truth about Mac OS X is that there is not a single known virus or worm in the wild that affects it after three years and ~10 million users.

Mac users face _none_ of the virus, worm, or spyware hassles.

Most, including myself, run _no_ antivirus, anti-spyware, or Internet security software aside from OS X's firewall (ipfw). And NONE are infected with viruses, worms or spyware.

For MS Windows users, it's perhaps difficult to remember what it was like not to have to worry about Netsky, Blaster, ad nauseum.

Are there vulnerabilities in OS X? Yes, of course. But Apple releases regular security patches.

It is quite likely that OS X will NEVER face the onslaught of security attacks like Windows--because it will never be as popular as Windows.

Your comment about "mysterious crashes and other annoyances" flies in the face of Apple's excellent record of reliablity and imply that you face no similiar annoyances or problems on your platform of choice. I find it hard to believe that your computing experience on Windows or Linux (or whatever) has always been trouble-free. OS X users face few problems and enjoy excellent hardware and software reliablity overall.

I understand that there are Mac users who are blindly irrational in their devotion to the platform. But there are also many of us who are simply weary of derrogatory essays by Windows and Linux users-- who obviously haven't used OS X for more than a few hours at best.

Run OS X with Filemaker, MS Office, Quicken, Photoshop, Macromedia, etc. alongside your favorite *nix software. Discover the pleasures of consistent interfaces, Apple's iApps, powerful commercial software and dozens of top games on exceptionally well-designed hardware. Generally with fewer hassles than you expect.

Doug

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