I have my doubts as to whether Linux or Macs are a viable solution to
his problem, not withstanding the costs and time involved for such a
migration. Linux, like Max said, is not for the computer illiterate or
semi-literate.
And maybe Mac's have less virus problems but only because they have such
a puny market share. I have to maintain a Mac server and it gets updates
all the time (just as much if not more than my Windows servers) and it
always wants a reboot afterwards. And Macs have virtually no means of
file protection. At least with Linux you have tar or Windows has
ntbackup. There are things besides viruses that can destroy files and
data. A backup is just as essential as anti-virus protection even if you
are just saving stuff on a cd.
I mention all this because I have been given the task of determining a
valid Mac backup solution by my employer. Four Mac users have all
recently lost all their data due to Mac drive crashes. So now I need a
backup for our server. Any suggestions from you Mac users? Something
that doesn't cause the Mac grey screen of death (Mac lockup), Mac screen
dumps, or destroy all the data, and can maintain HFS+ protections on a
Mac OSX server. Try a google search and you will see what I mean as all
those scenarios are mentioned with Mac backup software. I do have an
external hard drive hooked up to the Mac server (fortunately its running
Tiger as the previous Panther version was known to destroy data on
external hard drives due to a bug).
Really I'd be quite happy if there was a listserv group like this MG one
that was for Mac users with technical people that knew problems and
solutions for the many Mac problems that exist but are ignored. Sorry to
seem like I am venting but this is one of my current work problems I am
trying to solve.
David
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-mgs@Autox.Team.Net [mailto:owner-mgs@Autox.Team.Net] On
Behalf Of Max Heim
Sent: Friday, January 19, 2007 11:29 AM
To: MG List
Subject: Re: OFF TOPIC-computer advice
Pretty wicked of you to suggest Linux to the computer illiterate... As
if...
Mac would make sense, and have the same relative immunity.
As of last year, with Intel Macs and Bootcamp and Parallels Desktop,
there
is no reason to run Windows on generic PCs, ever. I admit running
Windows
even in a window on a Mac could be a virus attractor, but if you do your
surfing/email from the Mac side you should be, oh, about 10,000 times
safer
than any standalone version of Windows.
I don't know why some people seem to think buying a dirt-cheap, bargain
basement PC and then wrestling with spyware, viruses and daily Microsoft
updates is a productive use of their time.
But in this particular case, the "no cost" solution would be to use the
laptop. If you hooked up the monitor, keyboard and mouse from the
abandoned
Win98 box, you'd have an equally useful and comfortable workstation.
--
Max Heim
'66 MGB GHN3L76149
If you're near Mountain View, CA,
it's the primer red one with chrome wires
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