The Gruber linked to an article about Microsoft Equipt – MS’s venture into subscription sales for Office. The bundle includes both Microsoft Office and Microsoft’s OneCare antivirus protection. Gruber notes:
Equipt includes Microsoft OneCare anti-virus software. So, when you buy a new Windows machine, even Microsoft encourages you to pay extra for security software.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m as much not a fan of PC’s as the next guy, but I do tire from the “How telling! MS has to sell antivirus for it’s OS!”
We don’t scoff when auto manufacturers offer alarm systems as an option when you buy a car. Why is it so different with our computers?
I’m willing to bet that the primary reason for viruses on a PC are users opening email attachments and clicking links they shouldn’t. Mac’s aren’t any safer from stupid [uninformed/untrained] users than PC’s are, it’s just that PC’s have 95% of the market share, so there are tons more people on PC’s clicking and opening things they shouldn’t, and tons more people aiming at that giant market share.
The only way to protect users from themselves is to offer this type of antivirus software. If and when Apple gains a fair portion of the market, you’d better believe there will be more attacks aimed its way.