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Think before you speak fool
My source? Network Associates (NA), sellers of the McAfee and Virex antivirus products, and one of the leading names in computer virus/anti-virus/security software alongside Symantec and the oft-quoted Sophos PLC.

I kept my search fairly simple--this is just idle curiosity, not a paid research project, after all--but as logical as I could:

1. I went to NA's Virus Information Library

2. According to this site, "More than 71,000 virus threats exist today. The McAfee AVERT Virus Information Library has detailed information on where viruses come from, how they infect your system, and how to remove them."

OK, fair enough. I'm not going to look up all 71,000, but that's pretty specific...I'll take their word for it.

3. Next, I ran an advanced search using simply "Macintosh" as my criteria.

This kicked back a total of 612 virus listings.

4. Next, I subtracted out a couple dozen "Hoaxes"...hoaxes are not viruses, these are exactly what the name implies--phantom "chain-mail" style myths which perpetually circle the globe like the Flying Dutchman or the Wandering Jew, never settling down due to shmoes who keep forwarding them to their family & friends (with the best of intentions and the most annoying of results). Hoaxes are basically unintentional spam mail--annoying but not really dangerous, and there's so much actual spam out there nowadays that they've pretty much been buried by it. This brings the total down to 580.

5. I also deleted one which got listed only because the description stated that the virus does NOT affect Macintosh systems...the Boolean search threw it into the mix. Total: 579.

SO THERES 579 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT OUT BETTER BEFORE CHALLENGING!
Posted by: OwningXylophone   Posted on: 09/28/06 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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Start preparing your case now  Richard Flude | 09/28/06
Well President Bush wanted a New World Order .  Intellihence | 09/28/06
Sell only XP to Europe!  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/28/06
Hmm...  OwningXylophone | 09/28/06
The EC is whining.. Take away their reason to whine.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/28/06
Must be touch being such a little guy.  B.O.F.H. | 09/28/06
That would  zkiwi | 09/28/06
Don't know about that one  John L. Ries | 09/28/06
Withdrawing from a market  zkiwi | 09/28/06
Avast mateys!  Media-Ted@... | 09/30/06
Funny...  Jim Blaine - Bellingham WA. | 09/28/06
It would seem as Symantec, Mcafee , Sophos, and other security companies  Intellihence | 09/28/06
The Power of Free Choice  OwningXylophone | 09/28/06
And the day...  Spikey_Mike | 09/28/06
MS forget about security applications  Boot_Agnostic | 09/28/06
Reviewing the situation  Anton Philidor | 09/28/06
It is much more simple than that...  Spikey_Mike | 09/28/06
But not that simple.  Anton Philidor | 09/28/06
Your wording is incorrect  Spikey_Mike | 09/29/06
I think you mean behavior(?).  Anton Philidor | 09/29/06
What hasn't happened yet?  Media-Ted@... | 09/30/06
A flaw in your plan  OwningXylophone | 09/28/06
Really?  Linux User 147560 | 09/28/06
Touche!  OwningXylophone | 09/28/06
There are a total of 20 known viruses  Linux User 147560 | 09/28/06
Wow! Thank you!  Jim Blaine - Bellingham WA. | 09/28/06
re: There are a total of 20 known viruses  Badgered | 09/29/06
Well I do have an answer, and it's only a theory as to why...  Linux User 147560 | 09/29/06
well...  Badgered | 09/29/06
Like I said it's only a theory, but plausible.  Linux User 147560 | 09/29/06
This numbers game is most interesting.  Media-Ted@... | 09/30/06
do your math right  DemonX | 09/28/06
I did!  OwningXylophone | 09/28/06
Double really?  tic swayback | 09/28/06
Think before you speak fool  OwningXylophone | 09/28/06
Here is one  the_seb | 09/29/06
The fundemental question is, may a monopoly  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/28/06
Well...  zkiwi | 09/28/06
Good grief!!  Mad Dan | 09/28/06
What really scares me ...  Media-Ted@... | 09/30/06
Monopolies are bound by different rules.  B.O.F.H. | 09/28/06
The fundamental question for you is this:  itanalyst | 09/28/06
The answer to you question is yes, but....  maldain | 09/28/06
No_ Ax-you know this. MS is integrating this product  jjon2121 | 09/28/06
It's just amazing ...  Media-Ted@... | 09/30/06
If what everybody says is true  Qbt | 09/28/06
And  zkiwi | 09/28/06
Curious to know what your suggestion is  Qbt | 09/28/06
You're avoiding the issue  zkiwi | 09/28/06
Did ANYBODY actually read the article. Fair access is the issue.  presleye69@... | 09/28/06
Half and Half  BFD | 09/28/06
Agreed  Boot_Agnostic | 09/28/06
And...  zkiwi | 09/28/06
office 2003  way_z | 09/28/06
European rivals turn wary eye on Microsoft  Loverock Davidson | 09/28/06
Um, no  zkiwi | 09/28/06
Security should not be an issue in any OS  way_z | 09/28/06
More than abuse  John L. Ries | 09/28/06
McAfee, Symantec and others get revenue  Boot_Agnostic | 09/28/06
Nevertheless...  John L. Ries | 09/28/06
Hey, here's an idea  Qbt | 09/28/06
Read my reply to Boot_Agnostic  John L. Ries | 09/28/06
Any effort to...  Spikey_Mike | 09/28/06
Not so clear  John L. Ries | 09/28/06
Agree 100%  Spikey_Mike | 09/29/06
Here's a clue  zkiwi | 09/28/06
and THAT...  Spikey_Mike | 09/28/06
To add...  zkiwi | 09/28/06
Another thought about this.....  crash89 | 09/28/06
DOUBLE PROTECTION  majoritywhip | 09/28/06
Here's how they guage the threat from MS  Omch'Ar | 09/28/06
SOLUTION TO SYMANTEC WOES  zzz1234567890 | 09/28/06
It'd be funny if Symantec faced a market/govt  Boot_Agnostic | 09/29/06
What good would that do...  zkiwi | 09/29/06
What are they complaining about?  Mikael_z | 09/29/06
to no axe one word sovernity  Quebec-french | 09/29/06
Windows software  rsars | 09/29/06
Microsoft infringement on anti-virus parasites?  christopher94523 | 10/03/06
Dump the Microsoft carcass and its "anti-virus" parasites  christopher94523 | 10/03/06

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