Before anyone makes the argument that the audience-size advantage will disappear as Linux gets more popular, though, let me also note that Linux is made up of countless , making it tough to hit too many users at once. , for example, may be staking the biggest claim on the desktop of any distribution to date, but it's still just one of many Linux flavors, making it a lot harder for malware authors to strike big in one hit.

Audience size may still be one factor working in Linux's favor, but I think the bigger one is the of its code. Even if Apple did care about customer service, the fact remains that no one company can protect you as well as the worldwide community of users can.

Bottom line: Want security? in the flavor of your choice.