|
Pain Goes Cross-Platform (6/9/03)
|
 
|
| | |
You know, one of the questions that we get asked most frequently by members of the Wintel ilk is this: "As Mac users, don't you sometimes miss what the Windows world has to offer?" To which we usually reply, well, kinda. There are basically two things that are far more common and accessible on the Windows side of the fence: games and pain. We don't really have any time to play computer games anymore (Most-Played Game Prior To Parenthood: "Unreal Tournament." Most-Played Game Since Parenthood: "What The Hell Is This On My Pants?"), but yeah, we have to admit that sometimes we feel like we Mac users really get shortchanged in that whole "pain" department.
Take viruses, for example. The only viruses to wreak even a teensy bit of havoc in the Mac world over the past half-decade were ones buried in Microsoft Office macros. ("Microsoft: No Matter Which Of Our Products You're Using, We're Doing Our Best To Infect You!") Meanwhile, the Wintel world was reeling from Melissa, ILOVEYOU, AnnaKournikova.jpg.vbs, etc. etc. etc. while all we got to do was watch from the sidelines. Running Virex became an act of pure defeat. 34,664 items scanned, 0 possibly infected? Curse you, vile app!
But we've got some great news! Apparently BugBear managed to break out of its Windows world and inflict a little pain on this side of the pond, too. "What's BugBear," you ask? Eh, some virus-- s'posed to be bad for you. We pretty much stopped trying to keep track, seeing as Macs are never affected anyway-- at least, not directly. But are you, perchance, a .Mac subscriber? If so, did you happen to notice severe email problems last week? Well, guess what? According to MacFixIt, those were caused by the overwhelming volume of junk mail created by BugBear-infected systems and flooding Apple's servers. Which means we were inconvenienced by BugBear after all! He likes it! Hey, Mikey!
As for when the Mac world will get direct support for Windows viruses, we hear that Apple has platform evangelists courting virus developers even as we speak. Knock 'em dead, fellas!
| |
| |
 |
SceneLink (4002)
|  |
 |
 | | The above scene was taken from the 6/9/03 episode: June 9, 2003: Rumor has it that the 970-based Mac will indeed surface in two weeks at WWDC-- and it'll be called the Power Mac G5. Meanwhile, Apple may be looking to buy Roxio, and .Mac gets hosed by junk mail fallout from the Windows virus du jour...
Other scenes from that episode: 4000: A 970 By Any Other Name (6/9/03) Ah, yes, the PowerPC 970: now there's a product name that trips trillingly off the tongue. Go on, say it with us: PowerPC 970. Yes sir, with a lilt like that, this is one chip name that Apple's rampaging horde of bloodthirsty marketing executives would be insane not to exploit within an inch of its life... 4001: "But Does It Come In Black?" (6/9/03) Assuming you aren't one of the millions of unfortunates reduced to trying to come up with new and interesting recipes involving generic dog food and ketchup packets swiped from the local Wendy's, living in a down economy has its benefits...
Or view the entire episode as originally broadcast... | |  |
|
|
