how risky is it to have Macs online these days?

[Seannie]

I have a PowerMac G5 and iMac G5, both online in a wireless DSL set up, running OS 10.4.11

I want to acquire a brand new Mac Pro and use it exclusively for video and image editing. My husband is close to insisting that I keep it offline to extend the life of the machine. But that will hinder me a lot as far as automatic uploads to my photo hosting sites and working with files that are on my other computers. I'm not warm to the idea of going back in time by carting drives and disks across the room to keep the new machine pure. Is he right in this? His argument is that any connection to the other computers will expose it to risk and he wants this computer to last a long time.

Is there another, better way that I can have the convenience of wireless connection and still be secure?

I know we're talking Macs here but he is convinced that our machines have gotten slower and slower due to contamination from being on the internet.... and if I'm going to spend $6k on a new powerful editing machine, he wants to ensure it lasts a very long time.

[M A V I C]

Behind a router, having your Mac connected to the internet poses less of a risk to the computer than eating food poses to your risk of contracting AIDS.

Does he have a Windows background? Windows gets slower and slower due to registry decay. Having your Mac online isn't going to shorten its life at all, except if the network isn't on surge suppression.

[macnut]

I've had Mac's exclusively since 1985, have used them for years online, and never had trouble with any of them.

[ztirffritz]

Unless something changes in the future, being online isn't going to cause a problem. The only way that there would be a problem would be if you put your computer directly on the net (not behind a firewall or router). That would make the computer much more exposed and at risk for hacking.

[mikebw]

I have had macs online 24/7 for years with absolutely zero problems.

[Black Landlord]

[quote Seannie] he is convinced that our machines have gotten slower and slower due to contamination from being on the internet....
Seriously, I don't think you're going to win this one.

[Seannie]

He was Windows before he met me then Macs took over his life. He still believes that there are latent programs, even with Macs, and especially with Intel Macs... but I've shown him your posts already and he's starting to make concessions.

When you say behind a router, do you mean as part of the network that goes through our existing wireless router?

Thanks!

[sekker]

wow - my macs live 99% of the time online, not a single issue.

[Seannie]

I never shut my Macs down and they are always online... but this is a big purchase and he's sure my Macs have slowed down from being online but I frankly think they have slowed down because I have so many huge files on them... we keep adding storage space and I keep filling it up!

Thanks, everyone.... except I'm still curious about the router statement... am I covered by adding it to our existing wireless DSL connection through the 805.11 router? I think that's what it is... I'm not very technical.

Seannie

[DharmaDog]

No offense, but that is absurd, bordering on paranoid delusion.