I've never been a big fan of Apple products. I've never owned a Mac or an iPod, both my UK and American smartphones are Droids, and I bought a Kindle Fire in lieu of an iPad. Part of my reticence is functionality, as Apple products have typically been niche systems for artists as opposed to business productivity machines. I also don't really fit the Apple lifestyle, either - as an acquaintance who worked at the Apple Store once told me:
"Apple isn't selling a computer, it's selling an image. It's selling a lifestyle."*The most obnoxious claim of Apple folks, though, is that "Macs just don't get viruses." There was a long period in which Macs were fairly secure, mainly because Macs held only a small niche in the global computer market and, as such, weren't worth the effort for hackers to develop exploits for. As Macs have become more fashionable among some demographics, and with the rise of the iPhone, the potential payoff for attackers has increased. However, Apple and those who develop software for its systems have yet to respond with more robust security measures - one of many reasons why the DoD has been slow to source Apple products. (Another is cost - the DoD typically sources the most cost-effective systems available, which are seldom produced by Apple.) If you use Apple products, make sure your equipment is patched at every possible opportunity. This is important for all technology users, but other platforms (most notably PCs) have better security options that can mitigate some of the risks of delayed patching. Beyond that, don't let the false hope of automatic security sway your decision to buy an Apple product. No matter which platform you choose to run, remember that security for your data requires proactivity. * Speaking in 2007 or early '08 of the number of tech-stupid customers who came in for help with first generation iPhones, another Apple Store acquaintance was quoted as saying "The iPhone is the bane of my existence." I found that extremely entertaining.
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