Text 5407, 46 rader
Skriven 2005-06-26 10:06:08 av John Beckett (1:379/45)
   Kommentar till text 5392 av Rich (1:379/45)
Ärende: Re: An Army of Soulless 1's and 0's
===========================================
From: John Beckett <FirstnameSurname@compuserve.com.omit>

"Rich" <@> wrote in message news:<42be015f@w3.nls.net>:
>    I don't see an easy answer.  The issue is not that users are warned
> when there is no reason too, it's that they got lucky.  A better analogy
> than a combination lock is Russian roulette.  It's always dangerous
> which is why there is a warning.  What would you do?
>
>    On a related note, how do you make a user that just wants things to
> "work" and clicks OK because it doesn't "work" if he makes another
> choice to care about such choices?  You can remove the choice which is
> the position taken with Outlook and dangerous attachments.  There were
> plenty that complained including folks here when that happened.

You're right, and in relation to 'what would I do?', all I can say is that I
don't know.

However, what I *do* know is that the original plan to make the Internet look
like your own disk drive, with Help and all manner of other hair-brained
schemes getting stuff from the Internet, was a *bad* idea.

To be more accurate, incorporating the Internet is a *great*  idea, but only
*if* you first have a way to make it reasonably secure. I wouldn't mind a few
bugs that created vulnerabilities with consequent damage. But the disasters
from the simple exploits ("click here to undress Jennifer") are rather
predictable.

If I wanted to dominate world computing and own the Internet, and if I had a
spare billion for R&D, I would have proceeded with a little more humility and
caution than Microsoft.

In relation to Outlook blocking dangerous attachments: I am one of those who
loudly complained about the astonishing arrogance of a program that failed to
deliver my mail. This is typical of Microsoft's attitude - I am so stupid that
I must be managed. I would actually be happy to accept that conclusion *if*
there weren't thousands of compromised Windows computers that form a
testimonial to the failure of Windows to securely access the Internet.

The real reason I whine about this issue so much is that I am totally
infuriated with the complete success of the Microsoft PR team who have managed
some incredible security debacles with astonishing success.

John

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