There have been numerous reports over the last few weeks that the Mac is almost or relatively free from viruses, compared to Windows. As any person that is both a tech and a Machead knows, that statement isn’t quite correct: the Mac is (right now, anyway) totally free from OS-level viruses. There are “macro”-type viruses that can spread from Microsoft Word for Windows to Word for Mac, but they can’t do any real harm to the Mac OS, unlike the Windows counterpart.

Wil Shipley has had enough of the almost and relatively talk. He’s considering offering $500 to anyone that can show him a Mac running Mac OS X, properly updated with the security patches from Apple, that has been accidentally infected with a harmful virus before 20 September 2005.

The bounty doesn’t exist yet, he’s just considering it, and soliciting comments at this time. Note that the proof of the virus’ infestation has to have existed a week ago, so a new virus, created solely for the purpose of depriving Wil from his money, won’t work.

All Mac users know we’ll get hit with a virus, eventually. One of these days I’ll be forced to use something like ClamAVX on my Powerbook. But now, today, I don’t have to run any antivirus software. There’s no point to it. It will be very interesting to see if Wil goes through with this, and if anyone can make him pay up. If he has to fork over his $500, it will come a s a severe shock to most all of us.