I've just bought a Macbook and partitioned the disc so I have Mac's OSX (Tiger 10.4.10) on one side and Windows XP on the other. I like both of them for different reasons, but would NOT want to totally abandon my PC capabilities: I have about 12 years' worth of work invested in Micro$oftware and though my programmes are compatible there are some differences in the way you use them, and I don't want to change my methods or re-organise everything. I also burn back-up CD-RWs a lot, filling them up bit by bit until they're full, and I find doing it in Windows MUCH easier. There are a few other issues like this, so I wouldn't ever make a total switch.

The obvious big advantage is internet security, but I have a question about malware. I realise that viruses for the Mac do exist, but haven't heard much real feedback about protecting yourself from them. I know you can buy anti-virus software but I don't feel like going down that road anymore, and the excellent AVG freeware doesn't run on Macs. (Mailwasher spamzapper doesn't either, alas, even if you want to pay for a pro version - they're not going to support their existing one anymore.) So after a trawl around the net I came up with a free Mac AV download (plus a couple of other useful-sounding sites, clickies below) and my question is simply: Does anyone have any experience of this freeware? How well does it work, and does it cause any annoying glitches. (Having just got away from all that...)

Also, does any Mac user here know of anyone who has actually contracted a virus/trojan/worm/whatever? From what I can see of its architecture, it seems fairly difficult to just "catch" - you pretty much have to inject yourself with it. Or am I wrong about this?

As a newbie Apple-immigrant, any feedback from anyone will be most gratefully read. Clickies are as follows:

(FREE DOWNLOAD) http://www.pure-mac.com/virus.html

http://www.macvirus.org

http://www.smallblue-greenworld.co.uk/pages/macintosh.html

Many thanks, Bonnie

PS: One thing I HATE (because I edit music score-writing files a lot) is that the Macbook, in every other respect a gorgeous compact laptop, doesn't have a key for forward-deleting. You have to hold down the Function key (lower left on keyboard) while you press the Backward-delete key (upper right on keyboard) which means using two hands, AAARRRGGGGHH. Even if you have Sticky Keys enabled, it's still a cross-keyboard journey. They could at least couple the Function key with the Tab key or something nearer so you could press both at once. Or else make the manual disc-eject operate by some other means - it uses up a whole full-sized key when it needn't. Grrrrrr...   (But, otherwise, purrrrrr...)