Apple says users should install anti-virus software (so what?)

December 2nd, 2008 by chuq

Nevertheless, the Washington Post’s Brian Krebs noticed a November 21 technical note published on the Apple website that reads:

Apple encourages the widespread use of multiple anti-virus utilities so that virus programmers have more than one application to circumvent, thus making the whole virus writing process more difficult.

Must be a slow news week (yeah, it is). I’m seeing blogs and sites around the net jumping on this one.

Look, folks, the note was the equivalent of a highway patrolman saying “remember to wear your seat belts, and don’t drink and drive”. About as Smokey the Bear as you can get. (Remember kids, only you can prevent forest fires!)

And yet some folks are blowing this way out of proportion and trying to turn it into some major pronouncement from the Apple Pope.

it’s not. And it’s not new. Apple’s been saying this forever. And they’re right: we should. (and as many have pointed out, we don’t. Nope, I don’t, either; but I do wear seat belts)

Mostly, just relax and stop trying to turn every word from every Apple person into some major thing, unless you’re (a) really, really bored, or (b) a writer facing a 1,000 word deadline and with nothing interesting to write about. there is no (c) in this case.

And by the way, forest fires are bad, so kids, be careful.

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View Comments to “Apple says users should install anti-virus software (so what?)”

Flip says:

December 2, 2008 at 8:46 pm

And now Apple has pulled the page.
Partners in Grime says:

December 2, 2008 at 7:29 pm

Virus advice: Don’t stick unknown thingies in your USB port.
anonymous says:

December 2, 2008 at 3:05 pm

“And yet some folks are blowing this way out of proportion.”
It’s not surprising, bloggers routinely blow things out of proportion. They have to publish something every day, preferably something juicy. Involves Apple? Check. Is it controversial? Check. Good linkbait? Check. Gotta publish this!!!
Even the BBC makes it sound like the “move” is a response to a “fresh threat.”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7760344.stm
In fact, Apple has updated an old tech note. Here is a link to an old version (June 2007).
http://web.archive.org/web/20080113164722/http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=4454
jb says:

December 2, 2008 at 12:27 pm

If there was a modern-day Disinfectant, I would use it. But even on my (company’s) Windows box I avoid antivirus software. Its more trouble than its worth. Even in Windows land, you can basically avoid viruses by not installing junk, being careful with received email attachments, and keeping up with patches.
My personal perspective on the issue aside, Apple is probably wise to claim that users should run A/V software. Its largely a CYA thing (“Apple said I didn’t need to run A/V, but then a virus wiped out my files and stole my credit card numbers.”). Plus, how many users don’t even understand the concept of “don’t install junk”.
All that said, I agree: nothing to see here.
Rui Carmo says:

December 2, 2008 at 10:06 am

Last time I bothered with that kind of thing was back in 2004:
http://the.taoofmac.com/space/blog/2004/06/06
I haven’t seen that virus since