On Tue, 2007-05-29 at 09:13 -0700, Les wrote: > instead of saying use Anti-virus, which we have all heard, and to each > of us familiar with computing has some meaning (although I would bet > somewhat different meanings depending on who you spoke to), it means > virtually nothing to a new owner with a sparkling PC just waiting to > explore the web. It's been my experience that anti-virus is nowhere near as good as it needs to be. People tend to get stung by something new, not old, and something too new for their anti-virus software. I've also seen anti-virus software inform you that you've been infected, yet do nothing to prevent it, and be unable to disinfect. It's no good being wise after the event, it's got to prevent it happening in the first place. Personally, I'd rather take the approach of instead of trying to determine whether something going through the mail server is bad or good code, that just anything that's executable gets destroyed on the way through. That'd save a lot of clueless Windows users quite easily. > How many folks know all the laws that affect their homes, from > plumbing to insulation, to heating and airconditioning, to the wiring > and circuit breakers, even the box sizes and how wires are run? Just > the electrical code for a house is about 1400 pages in most states. Most don't build their homes, nor do repairs. Only some do, and its encumbant upon them to learn what they're doing, or suffer the consequences. Generally, it's just "on their own head be it." Networked computing, like driving a car, affects others around them. The approach needs to be different. There's a level of responsability encumbant on all involved: The computer user, the network provider, others on the network. All have to do their bit. Any time I see someone want to play with computer that doesn't even care about computing, I cringe. And I dread the day that one of them thinks they'd like to dabble in providing first aid without knowing anything about what they're doing. Do you take up electronics if you don't have an interest in it? Do you take up painting if you don't have an interest in it? Why take up computing, if you don't? -- (This box runs FC6, my others run FC4 & FC5, in case that's important to the thread.) Don't send private replies to my address, the mailbox is ignored. I read messages from the public lists.
