Wait!  Before you answer that, remember that this test requires you to show your work. Didn’t see that one coming did you?

    Being the first on the block to actually proclaim Mac OS X as Virus-Free, six years ago, I would get approached, sometimes as much as 3 times a day, with some new claim about a Virus on the Mac.  My answer then was the same as it is today.  Prove it.

    That’s generally where the conversation ends.  By proof, I don’t mean some unproven claim on the Internet.  

 

    The other day a techie stormed through the doors with a look of gleeful intent and purpose.  In fact, his presence was so strong and focused that I felt it before he emerged from behind the opened door.

    He walked straight up to the desk, with enough force, I could image being knocked over.  Then he asked, “Are you the owner?”.

    “I’m the store manager?”, I replied.  “Good!”, he persisted, “You need to take down your sign... It says”Virus-Free.”

    I expected something explosive from his nature, but was actually surprise that it turned out to be something I had heard almost every day, until last year, when a major U.S. news source declared that Mac are 100% Virus-Free.

    He proceed to tell me that there is indeed a Virus circulating on the Mac.

    Of course, I asked him to “Prove it”.

    Like so many before him, he pointed me to a posting on a website.  What made this claim different, was that his name was actually listed in the website containing the dire warning.

    So I reiterated, “Prove it”.  

    It so happended that, Dave, the president of the local Hack club ( in addition to being president of another Mac user’s group) was present during his entire presentation.

    As the three of us looked into the article we couldn’t find any proof that a virus attack had occurred on any Mac.

 

    Eventually, it turned into a Q&A session as Dave and I responded to his question, “Why isn’t there a virus on the Mac?”

    It’s not that it’s impossible for some future virus to attack a Mac, the fact is it hasn’t been done.  It’s just not right to make the claim that it has been attacked based on some “Proof of Concept” story circulating on the Internet.

    By that logic, you should be digging a hole to crawl in right now because we could be invaded by Martians within the next 24 hours.  I’m sure it wouldn’t be hard to do a “Proof of Concept” of that scenario, then post it on the Internet.

    What bugs me, is that when it is discovered that Macs are still virus-free, instead of saying, “Wow, that’s great.  I think I’ll switch tomorrow”, these writers often say, “It’s because not enough people are interested in writing a virus for the Mac”.

    For me, that’s kinda like saying, there’s just not enough people on Earth to warrant a Martian attack,  I think I’ll remain on the dark side of the moon where Martians are attacking everyday.

    But, the truth is that Mac have been a target.  In fact, the biggest target.  Mainly, because hackers and virus writers aren’t doing it for pay - they have no reason to choose one platform over another.  It’s like saying kids prefer home invasions because there isn’t enough people at Fort Knox.  The kids who write viruses, they aren’t an intelligent breed, but they do enjoy the media attention they get.  Obviously, any news of a Mac virus, even if it’s staged, “Proof of Concept” Worm, or just an outright lie, gets world attention.  Windows viruses hardly get noticed.  It’s hard to remember one from another.  “All I know is there some attachment that said something like .exe or .pif. or .vbs, then poof, my whole harddisk was gone”.  With at least 6 new fatal viruses per day, who can remember all of the names after 10 years?  Why bother.  Why not just buy a Mac and worry about the one virus or hack that PC techies keep saying could have owned your Mac... if only it were true.  

 

    Of course we could blame Microsoft, but then again, Microsoft Office runs perfectly fine (and Virus-Free) on Mac OS X.  So how do you explain that?

    Despite the best efforts of Dave and I, I am still getting email from the same individual with even more misdirected post from what would otherwise appear to be a legitmate security advisory.

   I guess, if you can’t attack a Mac with a Hack, then launch a verbal attack campaign.   I hope all of the PC Techie uncover marketing agents are being paid well for their efforts, because they seem to be going through a lot of trouble to spread the fake news.  

    On the brightside, the man on the mission who entered the store the other day told me he wouldn’t have, except to tell me to change the sign because Macs have viruses.  At least we got to talk face to face, as result.  I didn’t expect him to stop the campaign on the first visit. That would like expected someone to change their religion based on a single conversation. (PCs are the new religion).

     It’s no secret that California is eventually going to fall into the ocean, but come on now, could you just turn it down a notch?!?                  

    And please, stop spreading dooms-day Virus stories unless you have actual proof, not just ratings motivated headlines.  One day, it’s going to happen, but please, wait until the day comes when Macs are actually attacked by viruses before you start celebrating in the streets. (Kinda like to guys on the IBM building in the movie, Independence Day - can you guess which computer platform took down the mothership and stopped the invasion?).

    Enough said.