Fake popup study

[Jim Youll]

On Sep 23, 2008, at 6:15 PM, Sandy Harris wrote:

>> From Slashdot: Psychologists gave university students phony
> popups with various malware warning signs. Many just clicked.
>
> http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080923-study-confirms-users-are-idiots.html

I think it's got to be said that it's not apparent that the end-users  
are the /idiots/ who
should be called out for "failing" this study.

"We" gave them these interfaces, protocols and technologies that allow  
for things to go
so badly wrong. Nothing in the world required the technology ecosystem  
to become
what it is, except design decisions that were (and are) made well out  
of the sphere of
influence of  mere "idiot users."

This stuff was designed and shepherded to market by the modern  
captains of industry,
by rock star developers and wünderkinden.

When a real engineer builds a bridge that falls down, we blame the  
engineer, not gravity.
Bad people have always existed in the world. When developers pretend  
they don't exist
and people are then victimized, we're supposed to continue to accept  
the bluster about
technology rock stars, and therefore conclude that the customers (who  
outnumber the
developers by what, 1,000 to 1?)  are the "idiots"?

Let's reconsider that. Seriously, let's shout it down. It's a  
ridiculous proposition that's
tiring to hear time and again.

I'll even argue from the other direction just to make it complete.
Even if they are all idiots: when a population you serve outnumbers  
you by 1,000 to 1
and keeps blowing itself up when using your stuff, it's time to idiot- 
proof the product.

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