Security-Antivirus

Hello Mac users,
I am new Mac convert (old-windows user) and I am not familiar with internet security issues on Macs. People have told me that it is not an issue using Apple-based machines. In other words, antivirus is not a must in contrast when using windows.
Is this true?
I don't like the idea of gaining access to the internet without some kind of security. Is there any antivirus or anything that you would recommend me doing?
Thanks in advance.
andreas

MrKrinkle,
???? "Antivirus slows your workflow down considerably..."
I've seen this argument made repeatedly. Repetition does not make it true.*
I'm running clamav resident with heuristics on. It is using
significantly less than one percent of RAM on this underpowered machine.
With my current uptime of 20 days, it has had a peak usage of 0.02
percent of CPU cycles. Running ps and uptime in Terminal
have used far more resources than clamav.
If you share files (email, pictures, documents, etc.) you can still spread
viruses. Unless you're scanning all email and all files you've shared for
viruses, you have no way to identify which ones contain viruses, and,
therefore, no way of knowing whether you are acting as a computer
Typhoid Mary. (You don't have to be "paranoid" - your label - to
participate in Neighborhood Watch when criminals are active in your
neighborhood.)
To emphasize: You don't need to be running as a mail server to spread
viruses. This is why Apple recommends using antivirus on your Mac.
You don't need to use the command line to run clamav. Marl Allan has put
out a free (w/donation requested) GUI version of clamav called clamXav.
Oh, and it updates automatically.
Why do you keep bringing up Norton?
-Wayne
*If you're running a render farm, you're not on the Internet.
If you're using a MacBook Pro as a render machine, you have
far more urgent needs than antivirus.

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