Re: Microsoft XP SP2 (was Re: Lazy network operators - NOT)

["Alexei Roudnev" <alex () relcom net>]

I agree.

90% users CAN NOT UPDATE. How?

- (1) updates are too big to be diownloaded by modem , which fail every 20 -
40 minutes (which is common in many countries);
- (2) if you connect to Internet for update, you are infected by virus much
faster than you install update.

I saw it. Home user install Win2K, then connect to internet to get update...
and catch virus.




> ** Reply to message from Drew Weaver <drew.weaver () thenap com> on Mon,
> 19 Apr 2004 13:42:53 -0400
>
> > -- Jeff said -- 
> >
> >
> > Patches either need to be of a size that a dialup user doesn't have to
> > be dialed in for 24 hours to download and install them.  Or .iso's
> > should be available for ISP's to download, turn into CD's and
> > distribute as appropriate. Wouldn't that be nice for a dialup user -
> > getting Windows Update on a CD-ROM from their ISP?
> >
> > To which I reply:
> >
> > It is somewhat unreasonable to think that ISPs should be responsible
> > for the security of its users' systems on a systematic basis.
>
> Responsible? No.
> Able to assist in maintaining that security (and thus that of the ISP's
> network)? Yes.
>
> > Another reason
> > the idea of a 'CD with updates' most likely wouldn't be effective is
because
> > by the time the ISP produced the CD, the user got the CD, and installed
it,
> > the patches would most likely not be the most recent available.
>
> I can burn a CD from ISO in about 5 minutes - how about you?
> I'm talking about XP users who haven't even updated as far as SP1.
> Win98 users who have never run an update in their life...
> Win2k users are usually the most patched up that I've seen - because
> that went into mostly business environments.
> This would at least get them up to the level of the playing field,
> where the routine updates are not as much of a hassle.  Sure, you'll
> get the little old ladies and gentlemen who will drop by every month
> for their service pack fix, but that's just customer service.
>
> > Also, do you
> > realize how much the 'average technical school graduate type' makes just
> > from acquaintances who complain that their computers are slow, by simply
> > removing whatever "flavor of the month backdoor spam proxy virus"
>
> Ah, now you are talking about why I happily promote Ad-Aware and
> Spybot.
>
> > I bet a
> > good number of 'tech service calls' that companies such as PC On Call
and
> > people who service residences get could've been avoided by patching in a
> > reasonable time period.
>
> And your problem with the local ISP having this stuff available for
> their users is?
>
> > However, awhile ago we tried an idea of sending out E-Mail alerts to
> > our customers whenever a critical update of "Remote execution" or worse
was
> > released. We found that most of our users were annoyed by this, a
different
> > time we used a network sniffing tool to find a few dozen handfuls of
your
> > average home Dial-Up users who were infected with various malicious
agents
> > (I.e. Nimda, et cetera) and we actually contacted those users, to let
them
> > know and again we were met with more hostility.
>
> You definitely don't have our customers then.  Our usually appreciate
> being told that their systems are screwed up.
>
> > From this interesting pattern I would surmise that users want their
> > ISPs to be hands-off unless the problem that they're causing is
effecting
> > them directly. End users on the Internet see their connectivity as a
right,
> > and not a privilege. I remember when I was 13 (that was only 11 years
ago)
> Some of ours are like that. Most seem to realize their limitations and
> are happy to know that at some level we are looking out for them. BTW,
> for me 13 was many more years ago than that... RTM wasn't even in
> college yet, I imagine.
>
> > and I signed up for my Freenet account at the Columbus Public Library (I
> > believe it was, ? still is? Through OSU), they really made me feel like
it
> > was a privilege to be using the Internet, and I honored that.
>
> Dial-up, or using their systems at the library? And you weren't paying
> for the privilege, at least not directly.
>
> > Its just difficult to explain from a professional level what the effects
> > these peoples' behavior (or lack there of) is having on the rest of the
> > community. Think of it like people who drive monster SUV's, they can
afford
> > the gas, and the insurance so they don't believe that the harm that
these
> > beasts do to our environment matter, because again its their god given
right
> > to drive them.
> That's a whole 'nuther horse to kill there.
> -- 
> Jeff Shultz
> Network Technician
> Willamette Valley Internet