Food for thought

[Mike McMullen]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Julian Field" <mailscanner at ECS.SOTON.AC.UK>
To: <MAILSCANNER at JISCMAIL.AC.UK>
Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 2004 12:49 PM
Subject: Re: Food for thought


> At 20:30 03/03/2004, you wrote:
> >On 3/3/04 2:20 PM, "Peter Bonivart" wrote:
> > > I guess the real question is, how is it possible that there still is
> > > users stupid enough to spread this? :-)
> >
> >I read something the other day that was a study of users and how they
felt;
> >
> >A. The Help Desk should be handling this.
> >
> >B. They don't have time to make sure it's not a virus and should be able
to
> >open mail as they please (refer to A.) Or bother with updates. (Gotta
> >EBay!!)
> >
> >C. Nothing they can do about it so what's the fuss.
> >
> >Many more but those seemed to stand out to me. This was a Novel Study I
> >think done in the UK.
>
> It was done by a marketing company called TNS I believe. The best report
on
> it I have seen is here:
> http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/55/35393.html
> It makes for alarming reading!
>
> Believe me, the users really are that stupid. They don't care.
>
> Maybe responsible computer use needs to take the same path that Health and
> Safety has taken. People used to ignore that because they were "too busy"
> or other such lame excuses. Now they don't have an option, and can be
> disciplined/sued if they breach H+S legislation.
>
> These lame excuses cost real businesses real money, and I think it is up
to
> the businesses to start enforcing their rules, just like they do now with
> H+S rules and policies. I would certainly back company policies governing
> computer use, as long as they were enforced.
> --

What it comes down to is nobody wants to take responsibility for themselves
or
their actions anymore. One reason why courts are full of frivolous lawsuits.

Personally at an emotional level I feel that this whole password protected
zip
viri thing is the equivalent of FedEX delivering a package containing
bullets and a gun with instructions to place bullet in gun, point barrel to
head,
and pull trigger. Repeat if necessary.

Somehow FedEx would be sued for wrongful death.

Opening up a password protected zip file with the password in the same email
whether it is a known email address or not is the height of stupidity.
Especially
if the email body is as funky as the ones I've seen for Bagle.

Mike