Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2009 December 25

= December 25 =

Flickr
How do I get it so my friends can see my photos? They say they need a password to view them.Accdude92 (talk to me!) (sign) 02:20, 25 December 2009 (UTC)
 * http://www.flickr.com/account/prefs/photoprivacy/ lets you set your default privacy settings for all your Flickr images (of course you have to be logged in to your account first). The privacy settings can also be set on a per-image basis; when viewing an image, below where you can add a tag is an "Additional information" section which includes copyright and privacy settings for that image.  Astronaut (talk) 06:07, 25 December 2009 (UTC)

Again briefcase
Sorry for repeating the question, because i did not get any answer. I use briefcase for backing up my files.Whenever i try to synchronize, a message comes after which it stops synchronization.It occurs whenever a database file starts synchronization.How can this problem be resolved? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 113.199.165.67 (talk) 14:12, 23 December 2009 (UTC)
 * What is the error message you receive? This will help in determining the problem. Thanks. JW..[ T..C ] 17:06, 23 December 2009 (UTC)

The error message is: "Briefcase can directly work with Access 2000 or Access 2002-2003 format databases.Use conversion feature in your application to convert the database to the proper format" —Preceding unsigned comment added by 116.90.224.116 (talk) 06:20, 24 December 2009 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 113.199.153.208 (talk)
 * The Briefcase (Microsoft Windows) article specifically mentions using it as a database replication tool for Microsoft Access. To do the replication, it will need to look in the Access database file (a file with the extension .mdb)  It sounds to me that you have a file in the briefcase with a .mdb extension which is not an Access 2000 or Access 2002-2003 database.  If the file is from a previous version of Access you might be able to convert it using Access 2000 or Access 2002-2003.  If the file is from a newer version of Access I doubt it can be converted back to an older version of Access.  If the file is not an Access database at all you could rename the .mdb extension to something else (of course, changing the extension will break its association with the the application it works with).  Astronaut (talk) 06:33, 25 December 2009 (UTC)

Does a Macbook need an antivirus program?
Hello everyone, I have a Macbook running OS X 10.6.2 (If that helps). Does my Macbook need an antivirus program like a Windows computer or is it fine without because it can't get Windows viruses (I'm not running Boot Camp)...If it turns out I actually need an antivirus program any recommendations would be greatly appreciated..Thanks Chevymontecarlo (talk) 20:39, 25 December 2009 (UTC)


 * If you google Macintosh virus you'll see various news stories about Macintosh viruses. Yes, you should get antivirus software.  More importantly, you should set up your computer with one account that has administrator privileges, and you should try to never use that account unless it's necessary (for example, to install some software you trust); and a second account with no administrator privileges, and try to just use that account for all your computing activity.  This reduces the probability greatly that a virus will be able to infect your system.  Comet Tuttle (talk) 21:42, 25 December 2009 (UTC)

Thank you for the account tips, but I'd really appreciate any recommendations of some good antivirus software, preferably free. On my previous computer, which ran Windows XP, I used a great program from AVG Industries called AVG Free Edition which fulfilled all my requirements brilliantly. The only trouble is that it only works with Windows computers, so if anyone knows any good antivirus programs for Macs I will be very grateful. Chevymontecarlo (talk) 21:50, 25 December 2009 (UTC)
 * List of antivirus software should be helpful-- Jac 16888 Talk 21:52, 25 December 2009 (UTC)

Thanks for pointing that link out me - I've found a program online called iAntivirus. There's a review of it on Macworld and from the looks of it it does pretty much the same thing as AVG did on the Windows computer. Macworld also rate it quite highly so I'll think I'll go and check it out a bit more. Chevymontecarlo (talk) 21:58, 25 December 2009 (UTC)


 * Theoretically, yes, you should get one. And especially people who do not have Macs will recommend you get one, both because of the theoretical danger, and in part because they resent the fact that Macs really don't have a virus problem.
 * But in practice... you won't get any viruses any time soon. I have run Macbook for years now—years!—and have never needed antivirus at all. The fact is, Macs do not have a large enough market share for virus makers to target it, or for it to be a good vector for viruses. It is not because Macs are magically immune, mind you, though they have some features that make them more inherently secure than old Windows machines. But in the end, it is about market share—about the number of Macs in world versus the number of PCs. The sheer number of PCs (most of them running improperly secured, often legacy operating systems) makes them a far easier and productive target than Macs. The only people who are writing viruses for Macs are those who resent the "Macs don't get viruses" creed—that's the only glory in it, because the numbers are just not impressive by themselves.
 * Now, this could, imaginably, change. Especially since Mac-based devices like iPods and iPhones and etc. are becoming so prevalent—one can easily imagine those being the real vectors in some future virus world. But at the moment... use your firewall, and don't execute weird code, and your odds of getting a virus on a Mac will be so low as to be negligible. Back up your data regularly, as you should anyway (there are worse problems that viruses out there for that!), and in the rare chance you DID get a virus, you'd be fairly good off anyway. Don't bother wasting your time, money, or computing resources on antivirus software that looks for Windows viruses.
 * The reason Mac viruses have news stories about them is because they are rare enough to be newsworthy. Bruce Schneier has a saying that is something along the lines of, if it is the news, it is probably not actually much of a threat. And unprotected PC will get viruses in literally minutes. An unprotected Mac will get viruses... well, it hasn't happened yet. --Mr.98 (talk) 17:14, 26 December 2009 (UTC)


 * , particularly your claim about the motives of authors of Mac viruses. Comet Tuttle (talk) 16:49, 29 December 2009 (UTC)