Macbook is internet security needed ?

natnhay

Hi i am considering buying my daughter a Macbook for uni, is any additional internet security needed,if so which one? Also is there a similar version of microsoft office for the Mac that is free to download and use.I know i can purchase it from softwareforstudents but was hoping there might be a free version.Hope you can help.Thanks in advance

samwsmith1

I have never had any security software on mine other than what's built in, and I don't think there's a free version of office.
Make sure she buys it when's she's connected to the uni network as she'll get it an awful lot cheaper!
See here: http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/education_routing

Knarf44

Have a look at Neo Office for Mac, latest version is 3.1.1 It's based on Open Office. Alternatively, there are now internet based office suites that she might prefer to use. Google will find them.

macman

Why not just use OpenOffice Mac Edn? It's free.
There are no free editions of MS Office for Mac.
http://download.openoffice.org/

tronator

macman wrote: »

There are no free editions of MS Office for Mac.

There are no free editions of MS Office for any OS...

lee634

tronator wrote: »

There are no free editions of MS Office for any OS...

Pointless answer as we are talking about macs, but there you go,

Whilst the viruses for osx are a small % there are some out there, if your daughter is just going to use it for uni work purposes then she should be fine, but if she is going to start downloading "stuff" it's not such a bad thing to have,

Although to install applications you have you put in your password, this should be the first step in security, where by it says to the user, is what i am about to install from a reputable source.

I personally haven't got and security apart from osx's in built firewall, and my macbook pro has been virus free for 3 years, *touches wood*

also whilst the neo office is ok there are some formatting issues. i must prefer iworks which i have bought and likewise some formatting issues if exporting to MS word, but this can be easily solved. but i prefer the way it integrates into the rest of os x

macman

I have iantivirus on my Mac.
http://www.iantivirus.com/
It's never found anything, whether that is because I have never encountered a Mac virus or because it isn't very good I have no idea.
But since it's free and appears to have no impact on performance, I leave it on there.
Kaspersky also produce a AV program for Mac, but annoyingly you can't get it for free via Barclays online banking, which you can do with the Windows version.

trets77

macman wrote: »

I have iantivirus on my Mac.
http://www.iantivirus.com/
It's never found anything, whether that is because I have never encountered a Mac virus or because it isn't very good I have no idea.
But since it's free and appears to have no impact on performance, I leave it on there.
Kaspersky also produce a AV program for Mac, but annoyingly you can't get it for free via Barclays online banking, which you can do with the Windows version.

i have the same anti virus on my Mac , and in 2 years it has yet to find anything . but since there are virtually no virus threats for OS X it's not surprising . it still updates and scans every week though .

i do use a third party Firewall , that alerts me when anything wants permission to connect to the net . but again i have never had any problems here either .

Chorlie

macman wrote: »

Kaspersky also produce a AV program for Mac, but annoyingly you can't get it for free via Barclays online banking, which you can do with the Windows version.

You can get free Kaspersky AV if you use Barclays Online Banking, there is a separate link with a phone number to call, they send it to me but I haven't installed it; everyone I know with a Mac doesn't have any AV.

Edit:
http://www.barclays.co.uk/Helpsupport/FreeInternetsecuritysoftware/P1242557966961