[LINK] Security efforts hindered by untrained users

[Craig Sanders]

On Thu, Jan 31, 2008 at 10:33:39AM +1100, Rick Welykochy wrote:
> Stilgherrian wrote:
>
>>> it's like their brain just switches off - they've made the decision that
>>> it's too hard or too much effort (or that it's "easier" to get someone
>>> else to do it for them) and they revert to being a pathetic, helpless
>>> child.
>>
>> Yes, noticed this too. I think there must be some fundamental brain
>> mechanism at work here -- the equivalent of rabbits freezing in the
>> headlights, maybe?
>
> Try switching disciplines and see if applies to *you*.

i've done this many times. i'm a jack-of-all-trades and a master of ONE
(systems admin). there's lots of stuff that i've learnt because i've
needed to even though i have little or no interest in it. and even more
that i've learnt simply because it's interesting to me in some way.

i've never had any difficulty (or even any reluctance) learning anything
that's either interesting or that i need in some way.

i can't imagine that there's anything i couldn't learn if i wanted to or
needed to.

either 'want' or 'need' are crucial, though. if neither applies
then i just dont bother. at all. for instance - sport news,
actor/musician/band/celebrity names (i can see an actor in 5 or more
different movies before i even realise it's the same actor let alone
know what their name is, and years can pass between hearing a song that
i like and finding out - by chance - what it's called and who it's by,
even if it's by a band i already know the name of and like....and even
then i often promptly forget anyway) and similarly boring & useless
stuff.

i expect that if i ever actually needed to know the names of songs and
bands then i'd learn them. but since i don't need to and i don't find
such info interesting in itself, i don't.


> Here is my example: I am a stupid idiot when it comes to company
> accounting.

i've had to learn accounting, both for software development and for my
own business. i'll never be an expert in it, but i know more than enough
for my needs, AND (most importantly) i know enough to know how & where
to research the topic if i ever need to know more. it's not something i
actually want to do, but i know enough to do most of it myself and to
understand what my accountant is telling me.

same for mechanical stuff, especially cars...i'll never ever be an
expert or capable of doing more than simple things but i know enough to
understand what a paid mechanic is telling me and enough to know when
they're trying to bullshit me because they think i might be a sucker.
IMO, that level of knowledge at minimum is mandatory for anyone who
doesn't want to get ripped off by every business and tradesperson they
have any dealings with.

same with plumbing, both the real kind of plumbing (gas & water & pipes
etc), and what i refer to as plumbing (routers, network links, cabling).
i know enough to get by (actually a lot more than that for network
plumbing) but i can't stand crawling around under tables or floors. that
kind of thing is what plumbers (and network engineers) are for.

in all three examples, it's stuff that i understand at least passably well
but don't want to do myself - so i'm happy to pay someone else to do it.

BUT for my own self-protection, if for no other reason, I *MUST*
understand it well enough that i don't get ripped off by anyone who is
willing to take advantage of my ignorance.  that's 'caveat emptor' from
the buyer's POV.....what i don't know can cost me a lot.  ignorance is
expensive. and potentially dangerous.



craig

-- 
craig sanders <cas at taz.net.au>

Unseen University had never admitted women, muttering something about
problems with the plumbing, but the real reason was an unspoken dread that
if women were allowed to mess around with magic they would probably be
embarrassingly good at it ...
		-- Terry Pratchett, "The Light Fantastic"