Torvalds: geeky kids need dates [risks] Risks Digest 22.92

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

> Date: Mon, 29 Sep 2003 14:17:45 -0700
> From: "NewsScan" <newsscan () newsscan com>
> Subject: c
>
> Asked how to end virus and worm attacks, Linux creator Linus Torvalds told
> an interviewer: "When you have people who hook up these machines that
> weren't designed for the Internet, and they don't even want to know about
> all the intricacies of network security, what can you expect? We get what we
> have now: a system that can be brought down by a teenager with too much time
> on his hands. Should we blame the teenager? Sure, we can point the finger at
> him and say, 'Bad boy!' and slap him for it. Will that actually fix
> anything? No. The next geeky kid frustrated about not getting a date on
> Saturday night will come along and do the same thing without really
> understanding the consequences. So either we should make it a law that all
> geeks have dates -- I'd have supported such a law when I was a teenager --
> or the blame is really on the companies who sell and install the systems
> that are quite that fragile."  [*The New York Times Magazine*, 28 Sep 2003;
> NewsScan Daily, 29 Sep 2003]
>   http://partners.nytimes.com/2003/09/28/magazine/WLN104109.html
>
> ------------------------------

-------------------------------------
You are subscribed as interesting-people () lists elistx com
To manage your subscription, go to
 http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip

Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/