'Worms' vs. Security

One of the many reasons I purchased an iMac this past summer is because, to the belief of my friends, the possibility of a Mac user having to deal with viruses and malware compared to a PC user is relatively low or close to none.  They’re not saying that Mac users don’t ever get viruses, but compared to a PC user, the chances are slimmer because of the proprietary nature of Apple products in general.

In “How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Loving the App Store”, Timothy Lee discusses the relation between the App Store and user freedom. Although Apple allows users to develop apps for their App store, Apple has to approve it first and developers have to adhere to their strict guidelines. Yes, Apple may appear to be a control freak, reject valuable apps and hinder a developer’s creative process, yet I like the idea of having more security for a device, whether it’s for computers or phones, than the possibilities for malware to spread and affect my devices. As stated by Lee regarding apps, “Apps may also need access to the user's address book, calendar, and other private data. Yet it would be an unacceptable privacy risk to allow every website unfettered access to these resources.”

Likewise, in “Cybersecurity and the Generative Dilemma,” Zittrain examines the relationship between cyber security and generative systems. Zittrain, for example, notes the differences between generative and proprietary networks. On generative systems, he states, “Generative systems are built on the notion they are never fully completed…the public can be trusted to invent and share good uses. Multiplying breaches of that trust can threaten the very foundations of the generative system” (pp 43). On proprietary networks, he states, “These proprietary networks were not user-programmable but instead relied on centralized feature rollouts performed exclusively by their administrators” (pp 41).  

In relation, the proprietary nature of Apple products limits user freedom by tightly integrating hardware and software solely exclusive to Mac users. On the other hand, there is more software designed to run on Windows instead of Mac.  But, of course, there are perks and disadvantages to all this. While Windows may offer users generativity, it also draws in more users and the possibilities to share malicious content and code within systems and networks. On the other hand, a proprietary network’s exclusiveness makes it more sterile and secure compared to generative devices.

Yet, I do find it annoying to have to buy products that are exclusively Mac compatible.