> Windows on the desktop and Android on mobile shows us how spyware and viruses are a very big problem without those restrictions, compared to, say iOS.
But then, OSX and Linux don't have quite as many spyware and viruses, so the lack of restrictions is NOT the problem.
(yes, OSX has recently seen a surge in malware - the vast majority of it predicated on exploiting Java. Java might be a problem. Lack of restrictions isn't)
In August 2011, Gartner estimated Apple's PC market share in US as 10.7% for Q2 2011. Apple's worldwide market share is not listed, because it is not in the list of top 5 computer manufacturers, and is inferred to be 5% or lower.
Popularity seems to a better gauge. OS X was not very popular till recently and now it is getting the attention of malware writers. The fake antivirus malware for OS X didn't even target Java or Flash, it just plain got people to download an executable.
To sum it up, my assertion is:
Popular and lack-of-restrictions implies malware is made.
And what you said does not contradict that assertion.
> Popular and lack-of-restrictions implies malware is made.
That's a more reasonable assertion (but isn't what your original post said, nor was popularity implied).
And while it is reasonable, I don't think there's really a way to draw a conclusion here; e.g. in the early 2000s, Apache had something like 6 times the market share of IIS and about 1/30 of the exploits; product design DOES make a difference here.
I don't know how easy it is to get someone to run an OSX executable, but a linux virus spreading by email would have to include instructions to the user along the lines of
save this file as really_innocent_file, drop into a shell, run
chmod a+x really_innocent_file && exec really_innocent_file
and you'll see a naked picture of $CELEBRITY.
My current favourite is the one that goes something like, "Hey, did you know you can use the terminal to make sounds? Linux has this hidden 'xxd' sound device! Try this, it's the Imperial March from Star Wars!"
But then, OSX and Linux don't have quite as many spyware and viruses, so the lack of restrictions is NOT the problem.
(yes, OSX has recently seen a surge in malware - the vast majority of it predicated on exploiting Java. Java might be a problem. Lack of restrictions isn't)