Weak Interface
When the computer people meet the other side

Be careful what kind of security you use…

 So I usually write about industry events but today it’s about you.  This is a personal warning for you, not a company, or your job, YOU.

Have you heard of the Conficker worm?  It started sometime in 2008 and persists today.  The reason you need to be aware is because of how it spread initially.  It was bundled in fake security software.  You would be at some website or using some software, email, etc and a message would popup that you have a virus and should download this free software to get rid of it. 

So thinking, “Hey it’s free and will help…” You download it.  Only there was no virus. Now there is you just downloaded it.  Now it will make every effort to block actual antivirus software from removing it.

I must admit it’s insidiously clever to have a virus masquerade as antivirus software.  Unfortunately the user will suffer for not checking on the software.  In this case you don’t necessarily need an expert to review the software before you install it. 

I advise before you install anything on your computer and I do me anything, from Microsoft products to shareware, a quick web search will give you some insight into whether it’s a good idea or not.  The few minutes it might take is worth it to protect yourself.  Somewhere an expert has reviewed the software and likely blogged about it.

There have always been scam artists and thieves.  Online they can reach more people, farther and faster than ever before.  Be careful out there.

Until next time.

BTW one of my New Year’s resolutions is to blog more, at least once a week.  So stay tuned….

This a story from a co-worker.  He’s older and has been in the computer industry since the era of huge IBM mainframes(early 70’s).  The guy, “Bit”, was working on a huge new mainframe that was just built with a shiny new building constructed around it.  It’s main purpose was to show off the company’s technology.  This was opening day and Murphy’s laws would rule.

The press were invited for the grand unveiling of the huge computer mainframe, this meant cameras and interviews all around.   The event was high profile and management was VERY nervous, should anything go wrong heads would roll and careers -terminated-.  Of course 30 minutes before the opening in front of a nationwide audience, everything crashes.  The big bright shiny new system was now an expensive paper weight.  No processing, no data, nothing!  In the ensuing panic in walks the ‘Cool Kat’, the hero of this tale.

Now Cool Kat was known as a hero, the ace up your sleeve, the guy you call when the chips are down, the best.  In the past no matter the problem he could fix it in some creative way no one thought of.  And he never broke sweat about anything.  Now in these days it took mainframes a few hours to boot up and actually become functional, useful machines.  As soon as he walks in, Cool Kat is assaulted with panicked voices crying about the system crash and how everyone should polish off their resumes because of the impending embarrassment for the company.  Cool Kat does not even flinch for a second and tells everyone to calm down he’s got it handled.  Just before the opening with TV cameras and other press ready to interview him and see the system in action, Cool Kat gets on the huge machine and  <i>minutes</i> later the system is up and running like nothing ever happened.  Lights blink, the tape reels spin, there are a few beeps and noises.  The whole hour goes by without a single incident, the media is impressed and go on to give glowing reports about the amazing working of the machine.

Shortly after the press leave, Cool Kat is asked how he fixed a machine that takes hours to boot in minutes.  He lets everyone know that he never fixed it, all he did was put it into a test mode that tests all lights, sounds, and motors.

Bit let me know that no one in the press was ever the wiser about the deception.  In other words they thought the faked presentation, the “movie”, was real.
(by the way I laughed ALOT at the end of the story)

Always get someone who can see a trick to evaluate a demo for you.  Part 3 will talk about a trick that’s not so amusing.

Until next time

 The Star Trek problem.  Just hearing that means frustration is in my future.  It’s a term that gets kicked around in some tech circles.  On more than a few occasions a client requests software do something impossible.  When you ask where they saw a system do what they want and they reply they heard about it on TV, it scares me..

   Dear reader when in a position like this my first impulse is to cut the client off and have nothing to do with that particular project.  Before you even begin negotiations or dialogue about the project, you know the position of the client is outside the bounds of logic or physics.  TV is typically not a tool for education but for entertainment.  When you entertain it’s ok to ‘bend’ the truth for the sake of the story but it’s bad when someone takes that for reality.  It’s hard to tell a client educated by science fiction that no we do not have fully interactive AI or a holodeck for training or phasers or almost any of the advanced technology you’ve seen in Star Trek.  Believe me I wish we did, I’d be the first in line for it.  The problem is compounded by movies and other media, where they can fake it because in depth computer knowledge is still in the hands of a relative few.  They don’t do it with any well known things such as having 4 outs in baseball game.   Google “movie physics” and you’ll see how movies ‘bend’ the truth.  My favorite article on the issue is http://www.cracked.com/article_15229_5-things-hollywood-thinks-computers-can-do.html

   On some level I understand that technology develops so fast these days that it seems there’s a new techno miracle everyday.  But there are actual limits that must be acknowledged.  When a client is unable to see these boundaries, no matter how much you tell them otherwise, then they are dealing in the realm of fiction. This means there’s no hope of having a good working relationship. 

Anything you do in the real world will fall short of their fantasies.

  If you get anything from the Star Trek problem, it would be:  Know what’s possible before you make plans for what you want to be built for you.  At the very least the client should know that a professional probably knows what’s possible better than they do.