Date: Tue, 3 Jan 2006 19:42:11 -0500 (EST)
From: "Keith F. Lynch" <kfl at KeithLynch.net>
To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>
Subject: [WSFA] Re: Crash, thud
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>

Elspeth Kovar <EKovar at worldnet.att.net> wrote:
> Look:

> Most of the general public are not computer experts, they are people
> who use computers.  Some have an IT department to lean on, which may
> be a good one or bad.

> Some people are professional or amateur mechanics, most of the rest
> just use their cars.  And, as with computers, if there's a recall on
> one of the parts or some such, there's a good chance that they won't
> know about it.  But it's much easier to find a good mechanic and
> take your car in for general maintenance than to do the same with
> a personal computer.

Nobody here has attacked you or implied that you were irresponsible or
that you should know more about computers.

I am a computer expert with 34 years experience.  And I know that
*I* don't have the skill to keep a Windows machine on the net free
of viruses, worms, and other malware.

I have often expressed dismay that the industry has adopted what I
believe to be a profoundly broken model of how the net should be used.
I have succesfully managed to avoid adopting this model for myself.
The way I use the net my chances of getting a virus or worm are zero,
no matter how careless I am.  But I know not everyone has that luxury.