Firewall Wizards mailing list archives
Re: Ethics & hiring
From: Mike Smith <jmikesmith () yahoo com>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 2004 15:13:00 -0500 (EST)
--- Bennett Todd <bet () rahul net> wrote:
Anti-virus companies are in a very, very awkward position. Their business is profitable solely because of the widespread problems with viruses; if it weren't for all the malware authors, they'd be out of business. They make their money on viruses.
I feel that there's something wrong with this argument. This would seem to be a core characteristic of any market that sells products that defend/protect you from Bad Things. Examples would include snow tires (snowstorms), portable generators (power blackouts), and, perhaps more relevant to the discussion, home security systems (burglars). Would there not be an incentive for manufacturers of any of these products to somehow increase the frequency of Bad Things to boost their sales? Is it just because viruses are easier to create than snowstorms, blackouts, or burglars that we view anti-virus vendors with such suspicion? I need convincing that anti-virus vendors are in a more awkward position than any other manufacturer of anti-Bad Thing products. ===== Mike Smith "Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe." H.G. Wells - The Outline of History ______________________________________________________________________ Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca _______________________________________________ firewall-wizards mailing list firewall-wizards () honor icsalabs com http://honor.icsalabs.com/mailman/listinfo/firewall-wizards
Current thread:
- Ethics & hiring Gwendolynn ferch Elydyr (Nov 18)
- Re: Ethics & hiring Bennett Todd (Nov 18)
- <Possible follow-ups>
- Re: Ethics & hiring Mike Smith (Nov 22)