Re: Re: Anybody Recognize These Uploads?

["Josh Welch" <jwelch () buffalowildwings com>]

> I happen to disagree completely with your presumption that users can never
> be educated. If we don't take the time to teach them, we'll never see
> desirable results. If we instead spend our time brushing them off, and/or
> treating them like ignoramouses, we reap the harvest that we sew.
>
> IMHO, if I can teach my _mother_ (not at all computer literate) to
> understand basic security concepts, there's hope for the future.
>
> cheers!

This assumes some desire on behalf of the user to learn. Your mother wanted
to learn, either because she cares, or because her child, who she loves,
told her she should care. I would be inclined to guess the latter, my
parents don't care, but still pay attention when I yammer on because I am
their son.
Users want what makes their life easier or more pleasurable, because that is
what they see computers are supposed to do for them. Email makes
communication easier, and their life more enjoyable because they can
exchange the latest jokes with all their friends. Bouncing the dancing Santa
Claus executable because it could it could be a virus makes them unhappy. It
has been my experience to this point that users do not see a value in good
computing practices because it does nothing for them. If a virus trashes
their hard drive, we give them a new one. If their files are damaged, we
restore them from backup. This is why they have an IT department, right? A
good manager can see value in sound computing practices, if you can convince
them that the dollars and cents are real and show them how they can impact
the company. This is where the impetus for good computing practices will or
will not come from. Convincing users face to face is a waste of time, you
need to have it come down from above.

my 2 cents.
Josh

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