New to Mac - shoul one have anti-v?

I'm fairly sure someone's going to wade into the argument to tell you the sky will fall so I'll offer my point of view.

MAC OS virus' do exist but as long as you adopt the same common sense approach as PC users should when opening files from external sources, email attachments or p2p for example, then the chances of you encountering one are minuscule. The argument likely will come up that if you're networked to PC's then you should use an antivirus but again, safe practice is really the only way to prevent infection, don't download windows executables or batch files.
 
Why ? I can download windows executables and batch files. I can even download virus emails, open 'infected' zip files and pdfs etc and it won't do /a single thing/ on the mac. None. just can't run.

You need a firewall to prevent people connecting to you, fine; you need to be careful about phishing, fine.

But you don't need an antivirus -- despite what the antivirus vendors wail about.
 
fanger said:
No, it's most concise thank you.

Overall it looks like anti-v is a waste of space and cpu time.

thanks to all posters.
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I believe likwid was trying to point out that if you are networked to Windows users (or send them e-mails etc), it may be useful to have A/V to ensure that you don't accidentally forward on viruses etc to them, even if they don't actually affect your mac.
 
Kinda, I was putting forward that common point of view but then rebutting it by saying that safe practice, for example not opening unknown email attachments, not downloading exe's from p2p, is more effective than any antivirus.
 
iSam said:
Virus don't work on Mac therefore you don't need anti-virus software.
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If they are programmed for mac they work on mac, it's just that there are very few viruses (which is the correct plural for virus, by the by) programmed for OS X, for a multitude of reasons.
 
Woah, woah, woah! Switched to Mac about 4 weeks ago, whats this talk of firewalls? This may sound like a really basic question but does my iMac 24" have one built in or do I need to get one?

I've seen the future and it IS apple shaped!


Edit:Found it:p.

Next question what setting do you guys recommend?
Allow all?
Allow only?
or
Set access?
 
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