Sage advice for the new Mac switcher

[cwa107]

I appreciate chas_m's initiative and caring in penning his essay for new users. I do have one of those "dumb questions" about point #9: Don't put Windows on right away, learn the Mac first."
Point taken, here's the zinger: how do I create documents without Windows or as I gather it's expressed, natively?

Just a point of clarification here... Windows is an operating system. Microsoft Office is a suite of productivity applications. The two are not the same thing, but often PC vendors will bundle them together, which has created a lot of confusion amongst users.

The Mac comes with a basic word processor called 'TextEdit'. It's roughly akin to WordPad on Windows.

Apple makes their own suite of productivity applications which are available in the 'Mac App Store' (should be on your Dock in 10.6.8). 'Pages' is a word processor, 'Numbers' is a spreadsheet, and 'Keynote' is a presentation program.

http://www.apple.com/iwork/

As for Windows-like alternatives, I rec'd some advice here earlier about some programs I can download - apparently free: Neo Office, Open Office, or Libre Office. I would like to choose the best one before migrating files from my old PC.

Of those, I would recommend Libre Office. Neo Office is slow. Open Office is no longer under development.

Another thing you should consider (particularly if parity with Microsoft Office is important to you) is Microsoft Office for Mac.

This machine is a Mac OS X 10.6.3.

You'll want to get that updated to 10.6.8 straight away. You can do this by clicking the Apple menu in the upper-left corner and then choosing 'Software Update'.

 

[over50]

Thank you, cwa107, esp for advice on upgrading to 10.6.8. Didn't know I could do that!
The Apple is my personal computer, however I do have MS Office on the PC at work and need to ship files back and forth. Does this indicate I might be better off paying for Microsoft Office for Mac rather than downloading Libre Office, which I understand to be free?

 

[cwa107]

Thank you, cwa107, esp for advice on upgrading to 10.6.8. Didn't know I could do that!
The Apple is my personal computer, however I do have MS Office on the PC at work and need to ship files back and forth. Does this indicate I might be better off paying for Microsoft Office for Mac rather than downloading Libre Office, which I understand to be free?

I would try Libre Office and see how it works for you. Check that your documents retain their formatting back and forth. If you don't find it acceptable, then go for MS Office for Mac.

 

[Marrk]

I was searching for "Free anti-virus software for Mac" and found this post. Very interesting and sensible! Thanks.!

The issue of whether or not to seek out and use an anti-virus program on a Mac seems to come down in favor of the "for get about it, you don't need it" side. I'll go with this, given the afore stated cautions in this thread, until someone posts soemthing in big red letters here.

 

[chas_m]

Since I wrote the piece, a couple of *malware* (not virus) instances have turned up -- annoyware or scareware type things, nothing that harms files. As I said in the essay, you really DON'T have to think about viruses ... the nature of OS X makes them *incredibly* unlikely to ever happen, and we have 11 years of proof to back us up on this.

But *malware,* while still rare on the Mac, is not impossible. So exercising some common sense about where you go on the web and what you download is still necessary. It's also, I think, quite sensible to safeguard your Mac from the biggest threat that affects all computers -- other people with physical access to the machine.

For example, NEVER share an account with someone, not even your spouse. ALWAYS give them their own account. If you have busybodies in your home, get in the habit of logging out when you step away from the machine (or set a screensaver with a password). Make your password hard to guess. All that kind of thing.

 

[Marrk]

^^ Thanks.

Not sure I understand about sharing accounts. You mean user accounts on Mac? What difference would it make if a virus or malware got onto the computer through one account or another? It's still the same computer that is being affected.

 

[bobtomay]

Set up non-admin accounts for everyone else that uses the computer. That way they can only affect their own account, not the system.

 

[Marrk]

Set up non-admin accounts for everyone else that uses the computer. That way they can only affect their own account, not the system.

I had know idea. How the heck is that possible?

 

[chas_m]

Well, first off, they aren't going to get a virus. There aren't any viruses for Macs.

Second:

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[Marrk]

I understand how to create a user account. What I don't understand is how an non-admin account, or any second account, can prevent contamination of the OS and the hardware.

It's like locking the front door to your house and thinking you are safe from burglars. What about the other doors?

Thanks.

 

[cwa107]

I understand how to create a user account. What I don't understand is how an non-admin account, or any second account, can prevent contamination of the OS and the hardware.

It's like locking the front door to your house and thinking you are safe from burglars. What about the other doors?

Thanks.

OS X is based on FreeBSD, a UNIX variant that was originally developed for mainframes. It was designed from the ground-up to limit the sphere of influence of a user.

Your admin account can't make modifications to any system directory without escalating permissions (hence the reason you're asked for a password during certain software installs). A normal user can't escalate at all.

In the 30+ years that BSD has existed, a virus has never been designed that has compromised this foundational security element. In fact, it's been so effective, Microsoft mimicked it in Vista (unsuccessfully) and tried to enhance it for 7 (again, unsuccessfully).

It's a core design element of the OS in the case of OS X, not a tacked-in add-on. If it were easy to compromise, it would have been done already on one of the thousands of truly high-value targets that run UNIX.

 

[chas_m]

I understand how to create a user account. What I don't understand is how an non-admin account, or any second account, can prevent contamination of the OS and the hardware.

It's like locking the front door to your house and thinking you are safe from burglars. What about the other doors?

What about them? All accounts are locked off from each other.

Again, "contamination" is just not an issue on Macs, unless I'm just not understanding what you're on about.

 

[Marrk]

Thanks, chas, for your persistence. I was prepared to let the matter drop, since nobody seems to understand my point, but I'll try again.


A computer is one machine, one collection of mechanical parts, not a separate machine for each user account. It runs on one OS, not a separate OS for each user account. So, my question is: What difference does it make if User #1 or User #2 is the one who exposes the computer to a virus or to malware? How can User #2's having his own account be a protection for User #1?

 

[cwa107]

Thanks, chas, for your persistence. I was prepared to let the matter drop, since nobody seems to understand my point, but I'll try again.


A computer is one machine, one collection of mechanical parts, not a separate machine for each user account. It runs on one OS, not a separate OS for each user account. So, my question is: What difference does it make if User #1 or User #2 is the one who exposes the computer to a virus or to malware? How can User #2's having his own account be a protection for User #1?

To put it as simply as possible, each account has permissions that restrict what it can do.

Malware is a software program like any other. So, if a piece of malware is run under a user account that can't make modifications to the OS, firmware or home directories other than the user's own, that malware has the same restrictions.

Does that make sense?

 

[Marrk]

Ah. Some lights are beginning to come on.

Thank you for your patience and pardon my dumbness.

 

[grandmere]

Newbie worries

It is a great welcome thread , thank you!. I haven't open my Mac yet . I am trying to learn as much as I can and avoid mishaps .
Everyone I spoke with love their Mac ,a family member has had one since the early 90's , unfortunately he lives in Europe and can't help me.
I am concerned about security more than anything, call me paranoid . My P.C is going to go to Goodwill. I had a firewall suite (Online- Armor ) and what I liked most is their" Bank Mode" option , (kind of a sandbox) , is there something similar in a Mac? I also used a Limited User option even though I was the administrator and had Malwarebytes and AntiSuperspyware. I am going to feel vulnerable until I get used to my Mac. The other P.C on my home network is a laptop connected with a 2 wire /dsl router (I think) I also believe is is WEP and I read that it is better to have WPA . As you can read .I don't know the basics . I have never been infected, I used Mozillla FF with Noscript add-on and use Google as a search engine. Any comment or further advice you can give me will be of great help. Thanks again. Grandmere

 

[chas_m]

I understand how hard it can be to believe, after years of doing it one way, that you really don't have to spend so much time thinking about it and being paranoid, but you'll come to understand that most of it is handled for you. I hate to say "it's a matter of trusting Apple" because that sounds silly, but to some extent it's true. Obviously you still have to use some common sense and skepticism, but one of the reasons Mac users love their machines so much is that they have a certain level of inherent trust (or faith you might say) that the decisions Apple has made are by and large good ones, which is a very different feeling than you get from most other computers -- they put the weight of the decision-making on YOU (and of course some people much prefer that).

 

[Michael S]

Hi chasm, your post really saved me from deleting most of Apple's software and default folders. Oh by the way, I'm not sure if this is piracy but I get links of youtube music videos then convert them using 'YouTube 2 MP3' then import it to iTunes. Is that illegal ?

 

[grandmere]

I appreciate your reply but I always subscribe to "Trust but verify".
I was able to find on line an article from P. C Mag. with 10 Mac Security Tips .they suggest to use a "Standard" user for normal usage . Disable automatic Log In. Display login window "name and PW" . disable guest acct. and sharing there are other recommendations, that if interested one may access at Technology Product Reviews, News, Prices & Downloads | PCMag.com | PC Magazine . also Activate the Apple Firewall and when I called Apple they also told me that anytime one accesses a secure site (https) the site is Sandboxed) . all of the changes are in System preferences /accounts and Security/preferences. these fetaures are almost all of the ones i had on my P. C
You may think I am being silly or too concerned but I grew up during WW2 in Europe when one couldn't trust their former "good neighbors" and for older Switchers who want as much security as possible this info . may be of help .Grandmere
When the Post was published it didn't give access to the article I think by searching "10 Mac Security tips" will get you to the specific page.

 

[Marrk]

I appreciate your reply but I always subscribe to "Trust but verify".
I was able to find on line an article from P. C Mag. with 10 Mac Security Tips .they suggest to use a "Standard" user for normal usage . Disable automatic Log In. Display login window "name and PW" . disable guest acct. and sharing there are other recommendations, that if interested one may access at Technology Product Reviews, News, Prices & Downloads | PCMag.com | PC Magazine . also Activate the Apple Firewall and when I called Apple they also told me that anytime one accesses a secure site (https) the site is Sandboxed) . all of the changes are in System preferences /accounts and Security/preferences. these fetaures are almost all of the ones i had on my P. C
You may think I am being silly or too concerned but I grew up during WW2 in Europe when one couldn't trust their former "good neighbors" and for older Switchers who want as much security as possible this info . may be of help .Grandmere
When the Post was published it didn't give access to the article I think by searching "10 Mac Security tips" will get you to the specific page.

I'm not smart enough to comment on most of this, but the Firewall on my Mac OS (and I think on most of them) is "ON" by default, which, I assume, is a good thing.

Just wanted to add that.