Outlook should be blamed its crappy unsafe software. This is not Microsoft bashing. Its just calling a spade a spade and a crappy program a crappy program. True users should be better trained and educated, but given the infinite variety, sophistication and complexity possible in Outlook viruses, the proper main line of defense has to be the vendor. They have to put out a better product.
We don't simply rely on training safe drivers,for example, we also provide seat belts, airbags and minimum safety standards for cars. The same goes for software. Critical software such as email clients, should meet minimum safety requirements.
Then there is the social cost associated with crappy software like Outlook. I may not use Outlook (so educating me in circumventing Outlooks flaws is pointless), but I still bear costs from Outlook use by others. These costs may range from, loss of services due to virii shutting down businesses, businesses passing on their higher IT costs to me etc. In addition there can be catastrophic losses from having my sensitive/confidential information emailed to others, from a confidantes Outlook equipped computer. The society as a whole is also exposed to greater risk of damage to the national IT infrastructure from all sorts of unsavory characters out there.
NO! educating Outlook users in its flaws is not enough. Just like spammers, virus writers will always be a couple of steps ahead of Joe and Jane User. The thing to do is to demand, safe software from vendors. This is not MS bashing, just the honest to Gods truth.
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Re:Blaming Outlook (you should!)
Posted by: emk on June 24, 2003 11:04 AMWe don't simply rely on training safe drivers,for example, we also provide seat belts, airbags and minimum safety standards for cars. The same goes for software. Critical software such as email clients, should meet minimum safety requirements.
Then there is the social cost associated with crappy software like Outlook. I may not use Outlook (so educating me in circumventing Outlooks flaws is pointless), but I still bear costs from Outlook use by others. These costs may range from, loss of services due to virii shutting down businesses, businesses passing on their higher IT costs to me etc. In addition there can be catastrophic losses from having my sensitive/confidential information emailed to others, from a confidantes Outlook equipped computer. The society as a whole is also exposed to greater risk of damage to the national IT infrastructure from all sorts of unsavory characters out there.
NO! educating Outlook users in its flaws is not enough. Just like spammers, virus writers will always be a couple of steps ahead of Joe and Jane User. The thing to do is to demand, safe software from vendors. This is not MS bashing, just the honest to Gods truth.
emk
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