Apple dropping support for Virex as part of .Mac

[bobw]

From MacFixIt;

It appears that Apple will not provide support for the newly released Virex 7.6, after years of offering the virus protection software as a benefit of .Mac membership.

In addition, download links to Virex 7.5.1 have been removed from the .mac website, likewise Virex 7.5.1 no longer shows in your iDisk software folder.

MacFixIt reader Steve Prindle writes:

"According to Apple tech support, Virex compatibility issues with OS 10.4 motivated this turn of events.

"On the MacAfee website, Virex 7.6 is available for $201.05 plus $81.00 for an additional year of support. This is for five seats, the minimum quantity you can buy.

"A .Mac search on Virex yields this information:

"Updating Virex

"If you're using Mac OS X version 10.3 or earlier and were a .Mac member who downloaded the Virex application before May 2005, you can continue to receive updates to virus definitions through May 2006. To receive automatic updates, make sure you're using Virex 7.2 or later and that your Internet preferences are set to access .Mac. "

Over the past several months we've covered a number of serious issues with Virex 7.x under Mac OS X 10.3.x and Mac OS X 10.4.x including system slow-down and instability, conflicts with fax functionality, problems with other Apple-supplied applications, and more.

[AdmiralAK]

wow!!! 200 smackers for the software!
No thanks

[Lt Major Burns]

...for a platform that is famous for not having viruses

$200 to scan emails you're forwarding, that should be clean anyway, to someone vulnerable who has paid his money to protect his vulnerable system. it adds to the total cost of ownership a cost that is not required.

if/when viruses appear on the mac platform, perhaps, and the first few will have a standalone fix, not a full blown bloated memory hogger

[Lt Major Burns]

don't reply to this post. or my last one. i didn't want to start a mac virus debate. there's this Viruses on OS X for that.....

[Convert]

I actually liked the security. So, basically, with no virus checker, there's not that much of a point in .mac... I thought we were asking for more, not less.

[mindbend]

1. No More Virex. My response: who cares? Pointless.

2. Viability of .Mac. .Mac isn't for everyone, but it is for me. In our small office, it's a great sync-center for all our contacts and calendars. Also, its simple web publishing tools are so easy. I posted a client's tradeshow photos with one cllck.

[Scottfab]

Now my .mac is even more of a waste. Damn that conman in the Apple store...

[AdmiralAK]

I had virex from work (employer provided it), so I got .Mac for:
1. the email (good for listservs)
2. the storage (buh bye zip disks)
3. the site hosting
4. the syncing between two different machines (laptop & work)