Originally Posted by
gut
>> Lots of people *I know* would just press [X] on any popup they
>> see (such as "Would you like to update?").
You speak as though updates are a needed thing. I don't think they
are. I'll try not to be too boring, but here's why I think this.
Up until last year, I happily used a win98 (first edition), 300
MHZ emachine. I kept NO antivirus software regularly
installed for 12 years, though I would occasionally borrow a disk
from a friend for testing. I never had a single virus. Getting
virii is much more a 'user habits' thing than a 'lack of security
updates' thing.
> what do you propose how we deal with them?
Really, to my mind, the question you ask translates to this 'how
do we force users to update' or put a bit more gently 'how do we
protect users from themselves'. To my paranoid/skeptical mind,
this situation stems from the fact that users routinely give
themselves pr0n or WaReZ virii, then call/clog tech support
and loudly blame everything except the pr9n or themselves.
My solution would be to treat adults like adults. Tell them once,
I would even tolerate upon install, that some web sites and
softwareZ such as pR0n/haxor/craxor are full of virii. If they
plan to visit these sites and execute these WaREz, be prepared to
be mercilessly spammed, trojaned, phished, and crashed for all
eternity. Tell them that their only hope is regular updates and
uber antivirus software. Make these features easy to access, and
tell them how. Tell them, in any event, not to clog tech support
lines with their pron-virii problems.