is it safe to download apps from websites to your mac?

You need to provide information. What web sites? What apps?

If you download your apps via the links on the macupdate website, you will avoid any malware.

No known viruses in the wild for MacOSX. MacDefender is the only known malware circulating at the moment.

Skype is not sold in the App Store. It's a free download from the official web site or through MacUpdate.

Now, if you talk in general then you will only get general answers.

Big-name free applications like skype will do you no harm. In general, Apple is safer from viruses than other OSs, but if you're worried, go to a virus alert website and type in the name of the software before you download. If the software has been available for some time, you can find whether it's safe or not.

Instead of general answers, which will be absolutely worthless, I suggest you visit the site I've linked below and install Web of Trust on your computer. It will give you specific information about the safety and reliability of any web site you visit.

http://www.mywot.com/

I usually download a couple apps every week to try out, or to see if there's something I can use, both freeware and comercial demos without problems. I suggest if you find some app you want to try to google it and try to read a review, if you can find more than a couple, usually it it fine. Just try to make sure it is for mac and not for PC. Also as samberl suggested, if you can find it on macupdate website or some site like it, then it is fine, and that's also a good way to find new software. Also, if the app's site looks not that cool, or have way to many advertisements, try to google it more to find more about it.

www.macupdate.com

osx.iusethis.com

Hope this helps

MyWotis full of biased ratings. Facebook withdrew their collaboration with them because there are tons of legitimate businesses rated as dangerous on MyWOT. Please review the articles below for more information :

http://www.facebook.com/Anti.W0T

http://dukeo.com/mywot-web-of-trust-review-modern-web-totalitarism

http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/mywot-c224561.html

http://www.affhelper.com/mywot-reviews-exposed

http://host-file.net

argenis andres wrote:

I really need to know because there are some really cool applications on the web, but I dont want to put my new macbook pro in risk of virus or malwares!! please give me answers!

You need to trust the source of your software, a reputatable website like MacUpdate.com or Cnet downloads that users can comment and the site admins can pull the bad software off is a good choice. Sourceforge is another good site too.

What is good about MacUpdate.com is one can get others opinions about such and such software.

Most developers write something to be beneficial, some do it for free, others have to charge something because it requires more work or bandwidth or special skills.

Some developers don't make very good programs and users will comment they don't like it or it's problems.

Some developers write malicious software, however to get it on your computer they need to trick you or take advantage of a vulnerability on your machine to do so, they cant' get away hosting malicious software for long because there is a system in place by those who manage the Internet to block those websites and go after those who are trying to do harm to people's machines.

So if a developer has a website up for some time and you have checked around and there are no bad reviews, likely the software is good.

On Apple's app store there is a good and bad software, but hardly any malicious software. The same goes for most of the software on the web, it's just Apple wants you to think only their app store software is good and everyting else is bad so they can make 30% off the sales on their store.

If you don't want bad software then make sure your not downloading it from a untrusted source, like warz sites, p2p networks, etc.

Harden your Mac against web attacks

argenis andres wrote:

I was talking in general, but lets say skype for example from the official site you can download the app for free, but if you go to the app store they charge like $5 to $10 for it!!

That's what happens when you buy your software though Apple, or buy your memory through Apple, or have your hard drive upgraded by Apple or buy your adapters through Apple etc.

They mark up everything.

Apple quoted me $435 to upgrade 4GB of RAM to 8GB.

I can get the same RAM at Crucial.com for $80 at the time and install it myself in 15 minutes.

So Apple is charging $1440 a hour to install RAM 😁