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Official: Windows is unstable, prone to virus infection

nano2nd

By nano2nd,
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nano2nd
nano2nd
Posted
Posted

Via BoingBoing Gadgets: Windows is virus-stricken and insecure..

 

The UK Advertising Standards Authority has ruled in favour of Apple over complaints relating to the Mitchell and Webb UK TV "I'm a Mac" ads. In particular, the claims regarding Windows crashing and needing regular reboots and the increased likelihood of virus infections.

 

Original case can be found here: Advertising Standards Agency

 

In total, a massive 14 complaints were lodged with the agency. From the ASA ruling:

 

1. Nine of the 14 complainants, who believed a virus attacked software and operating systems, not hardware, and a PC could use a variety of software and operating systems, some of which contracted similar low numbers of viruses as Mac OS X, challenged whether the ads misleadingly implied all PCs, regardless of the software or operating system they used, were vulnerable to crashing, would contract a number of viruses and would frequently need to be restarted.

 

2. Eight of the 14 complainants challenged whether the claim "I run Mac OS X so you don't have to worry about the viruses and spyware that PCs do" in ad (a) was misleading and irresponsible, because it implied Mac computers could not be infected by viruses and therefore did not require virus protection.

 

3. Three of the 14 complainants challenged whether ad © misleadingly implied Mac computers would never crash or need to be restarted.

 

4. One of the 14 complainants challenged whether ad (:) was misleading and irresponsible, because it implied Mac computers could not be infected by viruses and therefore did not require virus protection.

 

Apple responded to the complaints by supplying articles, references & reviews where it has been stated that Mac OS requires less reboots and is less susceptible to virus infection.

 

Complaint - "not upheld, no further action necessary". It's official (even though it is what we knew already), Mac OS is more stable and more secure than Windows.

 

The only remaining question is - who were the 14 people who complained??

blkhockeypro19
blkhockeypro19
Posted
Posted
That is quite awesome.

 

I like Mac OS X a lot. But I'll admit, I like windows a lot too. They both their strong points depending on how you look at it. But I think the I'm a Mac commercials are completely wrong. The commercials don't say that macs get less viruses, they say that macs get no viruses and dont crash. Both of these are false. Also, they should not say all PC's crash. Leopard doesnt crash when I run it on my PC and neither does windows.

realityiswhere
realityiswhere
Posted
Posted
I like Mac OS X a lot. But I'll admit, I like windows a lot too. They both their strong points depending on how you look at it. But I think the I'm a Mac commercials are completely wrong. The commercials don't say that macs get less viruses, they say that macs get no viruses and dont crash. Both of these are false. Also, they should not say all PC's crash. Leopard doesnt crash when I run it on my PC and neither does windows.

 

The Windows vs. OS X arguments are old and we've heard all of them.

 

Everyone has an opinion on it, and they don't belong on the front page, they belong in the debates forum like they always have, let's not have this turn into a "this is why I think is better" argument, the article was just put here for a laugh and a break from the same old front page items.

keypox
keypox
Posted
Posted
The Windows vs. OS X arguments are old and we've heard all of them.

 

Everyone has an opinion on it, and they don't belong on the front page, they belong in the debates forum like they always have, let's not have this turn into a "this is why I think <OS> is better" argument, the article was just put here for a laugh and a break from the same old front page items.

 

Yeah i agree who decides to put this {censored} on the front page?

 Mysticus C*
 Mysticus C*
Posted
Posted

this is just a stupid argument as whose {censored} is bigger... bigger or smaller they both do their job...

 

question is the ad is misleading or not? it is 100% misleading and completely unfair brainwashing advertising/marketing...

 

macs dont have bsod bcoz of 10 hws are supported vs 10000000 configs on windows side, not to mention oem's ability to write correct drivers etc...

 

popularity drives the bad behavior! macs were always minority up until couple years back when they switched to x86... since then they also get bsods and many other errors day by day increasing... also viruses will increase over time with the popularity...

 

macs dont have viruses doesnt make it safe, in fact given the chances macs were proved to be hackable in 3 mins....

 

i m sure that this result was done with prejudice without thinking about all the facts...

 

we will not wait more than 1 years to see viruses popping up here and there for macs...

TheFuzzball
TheFuzzball
Posted
Posted
Windows is only "unstable" and "virus prone" if you're a {censored}tard. If you actually know what you're doing, then Windows is fine to use.

 

You are right.

But seeing as (apparently) the majority of computers run Windows then a majority of the people using those computers don't have a clue about maintaining Windows properly.

In fact, in my experience most people that use Windows don't even know what Windows is.

Dr. Hurt
Dr. Hurt
Posted
Posted
You are right.

But seeing as (apparently) the majority of computers run Windows then a majority of the people using those computers don't have a clue about maintaining Windows properly.

In fact, in my experience most people that use Windows don't even know what Windows is.

 

True! Most people even at my med school don't know that windows and the PC are two different things.

Headrush69
Headrush69
Posted
Posted
macs dont have bsod bcoz of 10 hws are supported vs 10000000 configs on windows side, not to mention oem's ability to write correct drivers etc...

I think its more OEM drivers than total hardware support. Linux seems to do it alright. (Neglecting closed hardware which isn't really Linux's fault)

Stability wise Windows XP forward has been much improved.

 

popularity drives the bad behavior! macs were always minority up until couple years back when they switched to x86... since then they also get bsods and many other errors day by day increasing... also viruses will increase over time with the popularity...

Although this is certianly true windows is targeted more, I think this reasoning minimizes the fact that UNIX cores OSes have had better security features over the years. (Not saying it's perfect.)

If popularity was one of the bigger reasons and not core OS design, why did OS 7.x - 9.x have so many viruses/spyware compared to OS X and why aren't more Unix viruses around when it runs 50% of the net's servers?

 

macs dont have viruses doesnt make it safe, in fact given the chances macs were proved to be hackable in 3 mins....

True. The biggest security risk is still the user and software can only do so much.

Additionally, Macs can still forward viruses to Windows users. Any virus that hurts the Internet hurts us all.

 

we will not wait more than 1 years to see viruses popping up here and there for macs...

Time will indeed tell. ;)

capt_cope
capt_cope
Posted
Posted

Windows is only as secure as the user. That being said, I don't have any trouble with my hackintosh. Up and running since feb of 08, and not a single crash. The same is hardly true of the two Mac pro's at work though. Those suckers have MORE problems than any computers I've owned to date, osx86 or XP/Vista. USB keyboard randomly cuts out, software randomly corrupts, and a healthy number of grey screens keeps me from wanting to drink Mac's koolaid.

THEHAWKs
THEHAWKs
Posted
Posted

I like Both Windows and Mac OS X and its not Microsoft Fault when your OS like Vista is Running on Out Dated Hardware. and the OEM Does Not Make Stable Drivers For there Hardware which makes the

OS Run Like {Censored}

 

and Don't Forget the Idiots. i have never Had a problem with Vista on any of my Systems even Down to the lowest one Running a E2200 with only 1GB of Ram Vista Ultimate.

Konami®
Konami®
Posted
Posted

I have to tell that I have be running hackintosh on and off, I uninstalled two times my OSX86 for Vista because sometimes it is frustrating with the risky updates that we have to perform. I had been using Vista and the last time I used it, I was working with my school projects and just randomly I have a BSOD with not issue at all. I don't had virus or any hardware driver malfunction. It just Vista instability to work properly. I went back to Hackintosh with my mind set not to ever install Windows again, even if someday an OSX86 update will {censored} my system. I will prefer OSX86 stability over Vista instability to stay working normally. Even XP I think is much better than the mess of Vista.

GhaleonX
GhaleonX
Posted
Posted

I'm pretty sure everyone on this forum likes OSX just fine (after all, why else would you be a member?).

 

That being said, I really don't understand all the Vista bashing that's going on [everywhere]. As others have said, hardware configs vary greatly, and you can't expect windows to do EVERYTHING for you. After all, the vast majority of these OSX86 distros people are using are way more complicated to get to work than a Vista install disc ("kernel? I don't want any corn")!

 

Of course, the issue is moreso about a MacIntosh vs PC running windows, so we really shouldn't even include "HackIntosh" in the equation. While the a real Mac may be deemed a bit more stable, I've met plenty of people who managed to screw up their hdd or something else, and need to get it fixed. Most of the local computer shops here that do PC repairs won't even touch Macs (but I'll get that money :( ).

 

Besides, we should all know that once the installed base grows large enough, there will be a vastly increased chance of problems. Add the the "HackIntosh" community to that installed base, and you've got even more potential virus makers, etc. I recall a time that linux was deemed totally virus-free, and the only way to get a virus to be on it was to actually fully give the virus permission (more than once, iirc) to do it's 'thing'.... in fact, I believe it's STILL that way for Linux.

 

And remember, no matter what OS you have, most of the time it's your own fault if it's not working right. Majority of Windows viruses are caught trying to "warez" something (although there's a lot that also simply "contracted" by looking for "pr0n" :)). Yes, I realize it's not just "those places" that contain partial threats (hell, even a paid ad on a message board can technically pose a threat), but for the most part, viruses are fairly easy to avoid in Windows now.

 

Wearing a condom (anti-virus) may protect you from a virus, but a monogamous marriage (linux) is the only way to have sex and guarantee safety (provided you don't do something incredibly stupid).

xtraa
xtraa
Posted
Posted
Windows is only "unstable" and "virus prone" if you're a {censored}tard. If you actually know what you're doing, then Windows is fine to use.

 

Agreed.

 

But unfortunately approximately 89% of the users really don't know what they're doing. And if

a software producer knows that, and their job is to make an OS, then they definitely missed

something by exactly taking not care of this.

 

It is not an X vs. Y discussion. Both companies have made and will make their mistakes. But this

error goes to Microsoft, and it's a big one.

 

The reason for this and many other in-house issues from Redmond is simple: It was about two

years ago and it has been the first time in the history of Microsoft ever, that they suddenly had to

face two unexpected but serious competitors. OSX by gaining market share, and also Linux, with

a strong and successful developer community.

 

Microsoft never faced competitors. They got too big and too slow. Windows 7 is their last chance.

If this piece of software is as 'successful' as Vista, it may break their neck as the OS market leader.

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