Computers 'n' Junk
Be vewy vewy caweful!
My roommate’s computer has picked up a very nasty new virus he says has infected 900,000 computers just last week. He’s been looking into it and says that no one seems to know how this one is spreading or what to do about it. What it does is it deletes programs that you use - sometimes while you are using them. Yesterday he told me that he was pretty sure that he had gotten rid of it then today I hear him down there cursing and slamming things around. Sure enough, he later came up and told me that he was having trouble with that virus again.
Now, he’s one of these people who are very paranoid about viruses and such and is always doing scans and deleting email and such. My question is this: Why is it that such people are always the ones who have the most trouble with computer viruses and security?
You’d think that that is what would happen, but in my experience, the more careful and knowledgeable they become the more trouble they have. It’s like they have some bad habit they don’t suspect is the source of their problems. Like the guy that runs around on his girlfriend all the time who keeps getting the clap no matter how many precautions he takes because he never realizes his ‘steady girlfriend’ is a hooker. He becomes very knowledgeable about STDs, how to prevent them and is on a first name basis with all of the staff down at The People’s Free Clinic but he still gets the clap more often than anyone else.
Hmm…I think I just answered my own question.
GrinfilledCelt:
My question is this: Why is it that such people are always the ones who have the most trouble with computer viruses and security?
Because they are smart enough to realize they have a problem with viruses and security. Most Windows users who have malware-infected zombie computers are ignorant of it - they just check their Outlook and browse the Google.
Unfortunately, while these people might be smart enough to realize they have a problem, they’re not smart enough to fix it, because they still keep using Windows. Or maybe it’s battered wife and/or Stockholm syndrome. The world may never know.
Albright:
they’re not smart enough to fix it, because they still keep using Windows.
DOHOHOHOHO
Anyway, I agree with Albright, aside from the Windows comments. Most people are probably ignorant of viruses and how to avoid them. Then there are the type of people you’re talking about, who constantly worry about viruses and should. Lastly, there are the geeks who hardly ever get a virus and can easily get rid of them if/when they do.
The middle group would be the ones most vocal, knowing the problem but not really knowing the solution(s).
