help a new mac user-really no firewall or antivirus needed?

On the contrary, Apple DOES suggest that you absolutely use a firewall - theirs. OS X includes a free firewall within the OS.
As for the Anti-virus software, there simply has yet to be a successful virus that attacks Macs. There have been a few trojan horses around, BUT when they appear in your system (rarely!!) OS X requires you to type in your password to authorize the installation of a 3rd Party executable application to activate it; a dead giveaway that something is not kosher.

Buy and Enjoy your new Macbook with peace of mind 🙂
DaveW

Many users here will agree that antivirus software and additional firewall software are utterly unnecessary. I'll go one step further and let you know to avoid Norton products at all costs. They have a bad habit of doing more harm than good on a Mac.

If you want to keep your Mac safe, here's some suggestions:
1) Even if you're the only person using the computer, have two accounts on the machine. One should be an administrator account to use when installing updates or any software requiring the user to be an administrator. The other should be a standard account. Use the standard account for day-to-day work.
2) Be aware of what sites you're visiting and what you download. Don't visit suspicious sites and certainly don't download anything from a site you don't know.

Most Mac users who have antivirus software installed on their machines are using it to prevent Windows viruses from spreading.

~Lyssa