No Cooties for Christmas by Matt Hartley

I tried to post this using my w.bloggar program but it was spewing forth a weird error tonight for some reason. This article, which is excellent was delivered to me through my RSS reader that I use to keep up with different types of news content on the Internet. Have you started to explore RSS yet? If not, ya need to soon. :)

This is an excellent article and it hits close to home for me since I have spent the last 13+ years doing computer and network support. I can not tell you how many times I have asked someone when the last time they did a backup or updated their antivirus software and got a blank stare. What did you just say? No, it is not that people are stupid but rather they are just uniformed and uneducated about some very critical information that they need to learn quickly. People feel that if they shuck out X amount of bucks for the latest and greatest computer at Best Buy or wherever that when they take it home their journey should begin with little to no learning curve. The truth of the matter is that the learning curve just began. There is no end to the learning curve with regards to computer maintenance and learning how to use software and software subscriptions that come with that new computer.

Anyway, enjoy this excellent article.


GNOMEREPORT: No Cooties For Christmas

Am I nuts here? Do you think that anti-virus companies are doing as much as they should to protect you? What about the media? Many of you out there most likely think that they are. I, on the other hand, would tend to disagree. Sure, they do the best they can to protect our computers in a literal sense. But what about ensuring that newer computer users understand how to use the darn things?

For those of you that do not deal with "Mom and Pop" computer users everyday, there is a huge lack of understanding that is going on all over the U.S. and perhaps all over the world. I have worked with many college-educated professionals that honestly believe that you install the software to protect your computer and voila, you are protected. This would be a dream come true - unfortunately, this is just not reality. I'm so tired of trying to calm angry, confused, and frustrated clients who are positive that "I" must be trying to con them when I alert them to the fact that there is a multitude of viruses on their computer.

So who is to blame here? Is it my fault? Well, I can only show them how to protect themselves after I have actually had the opportunity to meet them for the first time. It is most certainly not the clients' fault. How can we expect them to take responsibility for something that most people have never even heard of, much less know how to deal with? There is a desperate need for some healing here, folks. I'll tell ya, I am plum ticked. Who at, you ask? First and foremost the mainstream media for their lack of decent coverage. For instance, my local paper (that shall remain nameless) really blew it as far as I am concerned when the Blaster worm hit. "Just go to the Windows Update Web site and install all of the available patches. Also be sure to update your anti-virus software as well," states my local newspaper. My phone rang off of the hook that day with people asking me what in the sam hill was the newspaper talking about? A huge number of readers had no clue what a "patch" was, much less where to get it from the updates Web site or how to use an anti-virus program.

So being that I am a loudmouth, I called the editor to "share my love" for the article. Guess what the man told me? He stated that the Blaster worm was not a problem any more and there was no reason to add anything to the article in future issues of the paper. I asked him about other viruses and was promptly told that according to his HIGH SCHOOL son, viruses were "not a big deal" and this will almost for sure never be an issue in the future. (Meaning Blaster type worms) Now, I am going to stop on that note because I am not going to go down that sadly misdirected path again. I simply refuse to.

All right, then, what are some positive ways that this could have been avoided?

The newspaper ought to have toyed with the concept of speaking to a professional about the virus problem and what could then be done to prevent future outbreaks.
The article could have given basic instructions on how to update McAfee and Norton anti-virus. It would have taken less than a small paragraph for both sets of instructions.
The newspaper could have advised people who are new to computers to seek help. There are a few outreach programs here in my local area that can help those in need, free of charge. (Myself included.) The newspaper could have offered phone numbers to these resources.
The anti-virus companies, too, must share responsibility for this problem. They need to put a bright stickers on the front of their product boxes making it clear that it is imperative to read any included instructions. This ensures that newer computer users jumping into the new software are educated in what they need to know.

Now it comes back to us. What can we do to deal with this ever-growing problem? Simple, we educate. Those of you that are self-employed IT folks should take one day every two weeks and help low-income families and seniors that cannot afford to pay our regular rates. What goes around comes around. Sure, you may not get paid, but you could be making a real difference to someone that really needs it.

Now everybody sing: "C'mon people now, smile on your brother. Everybody get together, try and virus scan one another right now..." Okay, that was pretty bad, I admit. Seriously though, if we all went out on occasion and did this, many of these people might show their friends and family members how to protect themselves, as well. Then, maybe, just maybe... viruses would not spread as quickly and viciously as they do now. Think about it! /end rant

Let's get digital,
Matt Hartley




James Moffitt
http://www.jesus-connect.net/jcmoffitt
moffittj@bellsouth.net