Do I Need Antivirus and Xcode for My New MacBook?

[DrKareem]

Hi everybody. I've bought a MacBook a while ago, and it's my first time working on MAC OSX. The transition from PC was quite smooth, but still I have a few questions to ask you guys.

1) Do I need to install any anti-virus program on my system? Or even one of those programs that detects bad malicious cookies or scripts coming from the internet?

2) I noticed that Mac OS X (and later read) that it is very much based on UNIX, so it has a bash shell. I'm wondering if I can add Linux or Unix components to the shell, like put the commands in the bin directory. I'm a linux amateur, I don't know a lot about using it.

3) Is xcode enough for programming? I mean for C/C++ programming. I still haven't figured out how to work it correctly, but I still have to read someo of the documents and FAQs.


Thanks in advance.

 

[dmoravec]

1) I've had a mac for years running OS X and never installed an anti-virus program. I haven't had any problems (but that's not saying you wouldn't). It just happens that most viruses are not written to attack macs (low market share), but that could all change with 1 virus. I do know the program most people have on their macs is Norton Antivirus.

 

[graphic7]

2) I noticed that Mac OS X (and later read) that it is very much based on UNIX, so it has a bash shell. I'm wondering if I can add Linux or Unix components to the shell, like put the commands in the bin directory. I'm a linux amateur, I don't know a lot about using it.

Contrary to Apple's typical nonsense, OS X is not a UNIX. It does not comply with any standards or at the very least, only a subset of the standard (SUSv3, etc.). Bash is largely broken in regards to POSIX compatibility (even in POSIX compatibility mode). The correct classification of OS X is "UNIX-like." (similar situation with Linux)

3) Is xcode enough for programming? I mean for C/C++ programming. I still haven't figured out how to work it correctly, but I still have to read someo of the documents and FAQs.

Xcode is primarily suited for Objective-C work, and some would argue that it fails to do that well. The developer tools ship a number of editting environments, like Emacs. (vim ships by default, IIRC).

 

[DrKareem]

Thanks for the feedback so far. I don't trust Norton Anti-Virus, I used to find it useless when I used to work on PC. It takes up a lot of memory space, and new viruses are written specifically to evade being detected by the big antivirus companies. Plus, it's expensive.

I was trying to get to the fact that Mac OS X is 'Unix-Like', but apparently i failed to express that. I think you're totally right graphic7. What I still want to know though is that if I can still add new instructions to the shell, like maybe a C compiler and similar stuff.

 

[g_bash]

u don't need to add or download any softwares for c compilers, simply just insert ur mac cd 1 or 2 and download xcode, once u have download it, open the file and select C++ Tool to do C++ programming, I'm not sure which one is recommended for C, but that's it.

 

[Coin]

What I still want to know though is that if I can still add new instructions to the shell, like maybe a C compiler and similar stuff.

Yes. Just go ahead and treat it like you would linux, there are differences but it is most likely you will not encounter them unless you are doing somewhat advanced things.

As far as "adding instructions to the shell" goes, what I recommend is just installing Fink or DarwinPorts. Fink basically just gives you apt-get on OS X, so if you want to install something you just type "apt-get install libpng" or whatever and it compiles it for you and sets up all the shell variables and everything. Hey, why do all the work yourself?

I agree that XCode is not best unless you are specifically doing OS X application development (i.e. cocoa or carbon). For plain C/C++/scripting development I just use a normal text editor, like TextMate, and I run the command line tools. However, you must install XCode whether you plan to use it or not, because (like g_bash said) that is how you get the compiler.