I'm sorry
Carrier, but you're spouting a load of utter nonsense. You've got one big anti-Apple agenda going on there with that utterly pointless rant you just posted. The Apple bashing bandwagon left PPRuNe a long time ago, go to another forum if you want to try to hop on it.
There have been problems with setting it up for secure use, even with the help of her employer’s computer tech.
Really ? Seriously ? I'm personally very demanding on security, I own various Apple products. I've had no issues setting them up for secure use, and unlike you and your journalist wife, I've worked in the industry for a few years, so I know what secure use
really means rather than you and your tin-foil hat Snowden-led agenda !
Although these updates are FREE, to correct deficiencies in its software, Apple demanded some sort of ID for App Store and a CREDIT CARD NUMBER.
This is utter bull. I don't have any credit card details saved with Apple. You don't need any credit card details with Apple. Go put your glasses on and look again at the settings !
Our experience indicates that Apple is a case of “style over substance,”
Yeah, well, your rant has just demonstrated you've got a substantial
lack of experience. Apple are not "style over substance", they have very solid products, and the only people who accuse them of what you have are people who've no idea what they are talking about.
Need I go on showing you how you are wrong ? You and your wife have absolutely no idea what you are talking about in relation to Apple.
As
LookingForAJob said, if you and your wife are busy wearing tin-foil hats because of Snowden and the Guardian, then the
only alternative to
ANY laptop is a pen and paper (oh and you'll probably want a high-security shredder too, because you wouldn't dream of leaving paper on a surface for longer than the time it takes the recipient to read your message).
Go take that stupid tin-foil hat off. If the intelligence services want to monitor you and your wife, they will do so and there is bugger all you can do about it. End of story.