Michael O'Keefe said:
From the user's point of view, no security is worth the tradeoff, so
arguing about it is useless.
If that were true, they wouln't be all running around now worrying about AdWare, SpyWare, Trojans and Virii. Or is that just noise coming from the industries that detect and expunge them, and the average user really doesn't care all that much about these things ?
They're not seeking them out for security reasons, the spyware, trojans and viruses are slowing down their computers making them unsatisfactory to use.
They are, sure, but because of many other factors the expectations of the average Windows user (the group we're really talking about here) are so low that they don't think of such poor performance as anything but computing-as-usual. Besides, few Joe Users have any point of reference when it comes to performance.
If they were interested in security, they would practice good computing and not be susceptable to them.
Only if they see a /tangible/ downside to poor or no security and a /practical/ upside to good security. They don't. They only care if their computer will do what they want at the moment. And even when it doesn't, their short attention spans when it comes to all things computer, just shunts them over to something else that is less frustrating.
"Damn, stupid IE won't take me to the right website. Oh well, I'll try some other. Can't go there either! Well, maybe I'll play a game. ... Game farted! Let's see, isn't American Idol on tonight?...
I see that all the time in home users. If the frustration level gets high enough, instead of trying to figure out what's wrong, or even take the box to someone with a clue (aside from their next door neighbor with the cool case), they figure "I guess this thing's just worn out" /and then go out and buy a new computer/ !!!
And keep doing the same stupid things all over again. Of course, at least now the new computer does stupid things faster than the old one.
I agree with whoever said it: Users really don't care about their data, and they especially don't care about anyone else's. With one exception: they only care about it *if they can blame someone else for losing it* . Like me when I go over, analyze their system, and have to inform them that yes indeed, all their email and address books are now empty.
At that point, they go "Shit, but can you fix Windows?" Why? Because they've been indoctrinated that the OS is the most important thing on the machine. After all, it's the most mysterious. And they don't know how to install it, let alone fix it. No, they really don't care that much about their data. Maybe because most don't really have much data that is really valuable. Maybe because they've lost it so many times in the past that they just don't put anything important there anymore. Face, this may be 2005 and not 1983, but people /still/ don't do much really useful or valuable with their home computers.
Most geeks don't either, but we like to pretend we do. For the average home user, the computer is just another diversion. For geeks, it's an end unto itself; it's self-justifying. Everything about it is important to us, even the unimportant stuff. But we, like most hobbyist are a self-justifying group figuring that our little enclave is representative of the universe.
If the computer didn't become sluggish or they didn't have data errors, they would never even notice the adware, spyware, trojans and viruses.
In my experience, the last thing they suspect is malware. And that's only in the last year or so. Before that few even ever heard of malware. In fact, I find that few people I inform of the hazards of malware, actually, at a gut level believe me, let alone want to go through the effort to check, clean and protect from it on their own. They sure as hell don't want to pay me more than a pittance to sit in front of their box for over six hours fixing it. And the look on their faces when I say "I'll have to take this back to the shop"...! Their precious data is not /that/ important.
> It's not a security issue for the average user, it's a usability issue.
And the computer has to be damned unusable for them to get to the point where they'll do anything about it. Not only is it not a security issue, but it's not a data issue either. It's a "Now what am I gonna do when there's on TV but repeats?" issue. Then, being the good little consumers they are, it's the perfect excuse to pay more attention to that Dell commercial that just came on during Survivor: Oooh! Shiny!
--
Best Regards,
~DJA.That reminds me, I had an idea about a computer version of CVC.
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