Computer Jargon Baffles Users, Hinders Security

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The average PC user is baffled by computer jargon and thinks that security should be handled by the “experts.” Obviously you guys know how to protect yourself online but you know a LOT of people that don’t. Do you help your friends and family with their computers or just use tech jargon and let them fend for themselves? ;)

Computer jargon, a "tick box" culture and unimaginative advertising are discouraging Internet users from learning how to protect themselves online. Faced with such gobbledegook, many of the world's nearly 2 billion Internet users conclude that security is for "experts" and fail to take responsibility for the security of their own patch of cyberspace -- a potentially costly mistake.
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I politely inform them of the importance of security at home. I even go as far as suggesting software and providing URL's. The tech in me knows they won't follow through with it. Then they get a virus and call me panicked. To which I reply that I'd be glad to fix their problems.........for $60/hour.
 
The tech in me says "NO" to fixing computers on my free time when it's summer.
 
This lack of security knowledge makes me easy money and I welcome the ignorance of the masses...
 
People (non-techies) spent too much time trying to sound cool on tech devices with leet speak than to actually learn proper words and jargons relating to computers. The result is apparent - millions of LOL, WTFBBQ, THX, U, NEWAY, and GTFO.
 
Identity theft will get worse, not better. People that refuse to learn and adapt to simple guidelines will be taken advantage of and robbed. Make a choice. That or GTFO the internets.
 
Every time I give my clients advice about how NOT to get a virus they do not listen.
 
HydroBudz said:
I politely inform them of the importance of security at home. I even go as far as suggesting software and providing URL's. The tech in me knows they won't follow through with it. Then they get a virus and call me panicked. To which I reply that I'd be glad to fix their problems.........for $60/hour.
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I will inform them, but sometimes you can waste so much time trying to explain what you're talking about......or trying to "dumb it down".

Jutsu said:
This lack of security knowledge makes me easy money and I welcome the ignorance of the masses...
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True.:)

Most of the time, I can't sit there and walk someone through something, or explain every step I'm doing ( I hate having to show "wait....how'd you get there" ).
Give me the computer, and leave me alone. I'll let you know when I'm finished and waiting to be paid.

I'm getting grumpier and losing patience the older I get.:D
 
One problem is that computer "geeks" use jargon to cloak their work in scholarly mystique, resulting in a lack of clarity in everything from instruction manuals and systems design to professional training, the experts said.
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And I have to dis-agree with this.

The problem isn't "geeks" using "cloaked mystical jargon" trying to keep people out of their elitist group. It's people who plain can't be bothered to learn a little bit of something new to them. I know a guy who can't be bothered to learn to drive, because it's just easier to get rides from people. It's the same thing. Heck, I could have paid a repairman to fix my washing machine seeing as I didn't know anything about doing it myself.......but I got a manual, watched some DIY videos and tips on-line, and did it myself.

It's user LAZINESS.
 
You can install anti-virus and Firewall, but unfortunately there is no programs for "common sense" and "will to learn"....
 
When you try to help or inform people about technology, they usually just wait til you finish speaking so they can tell you how much they suck at technology. If they put the same amount of effort into actually listening to the words coming out of your mouth, as they did in proclaiming their ignorance, they could probably learn a thing or two.

Also, there's a part of an interview with Richard Feynman where he talks about trying to explain the phenomenon of magnetism to a lay person. He says that it's basically impossible to describe magnetism, in a way that's technically accurate, to a lay person, because it requires building upon layers of knowledge that really takes time and effort to learn. I'm not saying that learning not to open .exe email attachments is as complicated as quantum electrodynamics, but it does involve layers.

Is the term "executable file" jargon? If it is, it should be required knowledge for anyone living in the 21st century to know. How can a user hope to grasp the basics of personal computer security if they don't even know the basic difference of what's going on between opening a JPG and an EXE?

Also, there's a class of users that's basically hopeless, even if they put in a little effort. There's the type of person that's going to get a scam email asking for their banking information and just derp de derp. That has nothing to do with computer jargon.
 
I notice no actual examples of confusing tech jargon in the article. It's all generalizations and no examples.
 
I've helped friends in the past with their computers (for free) and everytime it hiccups I get inundated with calls/questions from them about it. That or I tell them 'do this.......do that....to keep it running smooth' and they never do it. Also, I tell them how antiquated their machine is and then they want me to order one for them which of course means that I am responsible from that point forth if it has problems.

I used to do Heating/Air Conditioning on the side and people felt once you touch their machines, everything that happens from that point forth is either your fault or you should fix it free of charge.

IMO it isn't worth the headache.
 
Yea people don't try to learn more about their computers. People can't tell the difference from a legitimate windows message and a phishing pop up from the internet. Not to mention they have no idea what programs and stuff are on their computer. It's kind of amazing how I have let someone use my laptop for a couple hours, and I suddenly have all this malware on it. People need things spelled out for them. I don't understand how you can use a computer for years and still have no idea what a zip file...

Not to mention there is always claims to user innocence. All I did was check me email and this pr0n website is now my homepage. Yep I am sure you did nothing out of the ordinary or possibly dangerous to give you all these computer problems.

I fix my family and friends computers for free, and have just been setting up programs to run weekly scans to keep their computer malware free.
 
IceDigger said:
Every time I give my clients advice about how NOT to get a virus they do not listen.
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Lets be realistic here. Getting them to listen after telling them to stay off the p0rn sites is wishful thinking.

Nearest virus is just a google away.
 
It is maddening for me because at my office we do not have an IT department, and the people in charge of our computers were given the duties by default because they can "fix" the computers. By "fixing" I mean reinstalling printer drivers for any printer issues. When I try to explain the security issues to the management, it goes right over their heads and they brush me off. Being that we are a company in Massachusetts we have to comply with a new data security law, infractions of the law can be up to $5,000 per infraction and guess what, those two dunderheads are in charge of our compliance!
 
WTF? We call things what they are actually called. Maybe if we started calling things "the thingy with the cord" or "the thingy you click LOL!!11!!" the cretins will understand. How is peoples' willful ignorance our problem? If they are too ignorant to learn how to use a computer, step away from it and go back to watching American Idol...
 
LET THEM FEND FOR THEMSELVES!!! If they can't get online them more of the interwebs for the rest of us.
 
It's simple. If you can't be responsible enough to operate something (whether it is a computer, car, weapon, etc) then don't use it.

Trying to push off responsibility of operation to others is just a poor excuse for a child in a grown ups body. Unfortunately, in todays day and age, people can decide to never mature but still go through life just fine.
 
Monkey34 said:
And I have to dis-agree with this.

The problem isn't "geeks" using "cloaked mystical jargon" trying to keep people out of their elitist group. It's people who plain can't be bothered to learn a little bit of something new to them. I know a guy who can't be bothered to learn to drive, because it's just easier to get rides from people. It's the same thing. Heck, I could have paid a repairman to fix my washing machine seeing as I didn't know anything about doing it myself.......but I got a manual, watched some DIY videos and tips on-line, and did it myself.

It's user LAZINESS.
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^This

That said, that had made me alot of money over the years. I actually have more patience for dumb users then dumb techs. The dumb techs are the ones that really irritate me. I have literally built a business around coming in behind stupid computer techs and fixing everything they managed to screw up.

As for family, I supported them for free for many years. Then one day I just got tired of being harassed at all hours of the night for the same problems (Reference above on user laziness and refusal to learn). So I put my foot down and told my family if they had a problem it was going to cost them the same as everyone else. Suddenly all the little end of the world problems they were having, quit happening. ;)
 
Honestly, since computers have only been around for a couple months, AT MOST, how can people keep up with times? People have lazy brains
 
Dekoth said:
As for family, I supported them for free for many years. Then one day I just got tired of being harassed at all hours of the night for the same problems (Reference above on user laziness and refusal to learn). So I put my foot down and told my family if they had a problem it was going to cost them the same as everyone else. Suddenly all the little end of the world problems they were having, quit happening. ;)
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Heh:D Yea....I only help my mother now. The only other one who comes to me now pretty much is one of my brother-in-laws - and he makes sure to compensate me in some way pretty regularly, so I don't mind.
 
Dekoth said:
As for family, I supported them for free for many years. Then one day I just got tired of being harassed at all hours of the night for the same problems (Reference above on user laziness and refusal to learn). So I put my foot down and told my family if they had a problem it was going to cost them the same as everyone else. Suddenly all the little end of the world problems they were having, quit happening. ;)
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Funny, I did exactly the same thing and also pointed them to the wisdom of RTFM. :D
 
Of all my family my grandfather is the only one attempting to learn the goings on of computers, maybe its because he loves first person shooters, or maybe he knows his end is nigh and wants to absorb as much knowledge as possible.
 
how about this:
"users baffle jargon, confuses security"

thats how i feel on the helpdesk lol
 
Yeah, I'm getting pretty sick of fixing PC's for people. I've had no less than 3 requests for help in the last week. Right now my brother's PC is on my table in pieces as I remove individual components, take them outside and proceed to make myself dizzy blowing the dust off of them. The problem with it shutting down due to overheating isn't even what he wanted me to look at!

Ugh...I'm definitely going to drag my feet on this one. He can enjoy having no PC for the next month while I use the Jargon to explain why it is taking forever. Hopefully he doesn't hear the Star Trek Online music in the background when he calls for an update :)
 
My mom is the only one who gets help without me pissing and moaning the whole time.
 
My wife: "So what did you do at work today?"

Me: "Same old shit."

Now if one of my friends who also work in IT ask me the same question, that could very well be the start of a two hour conversation. But my wife gets a confused look on her face when I ask her if she checked the application's options when she asks me a question about her computer, so I sure as hell am not going to try explaining anything involving what I normally deal with while working as a systems engineer in R&D. It is a basic courtesy for both of us.

If you don't want to know how your computer, car, washing machine, or any other device works then that is your prerogative. Just understand that when it has a problem, you will be stuck with that problem until you find a support person willing to do it for you, likely for a goodly sum of money, and you will likely continue to be ignorant of what happened because that does not include any of the training that would be necessary to make you understand even after being told what the problem was. And no, being able to turn a computer on and click a mouse button on an icon does not constitute any sort of computer knowledge.
 
Memitim said:
My wife: "So what did you do at work today?"

Me: "Same old shit."

Now if one of my friends who also work in IT ask me the same question, that could very well be the start of a two hour conversation. But my wife gets a confused look on her face when I ask her if she checked the application's options when she asks me a question about her computer, so I sure as hell am not going to try explaining anything involving what I normally deal with while working as a systems engineer in R&D. It is a basic courtesy for both of us.
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Man, that EXACTLY describes my wife and I.

Several years ago, I was attending a training course for some equipment at work and had a book of schematics laying on the kitchen table. The conversation went something like this:

Wife: "What's this?"

Me: "Just some stuff for work."

Wife: "What are you doing with blueprints?"

Me: "Those are schematics not blueprints."

Wife: "Okay but what are you doing with them?!"

Me: "You really have no idea what I do for a living, do you?"

Wife: crickets.............puzzled look............more crickets.

Apparently she thought I might be a Uni-bomber or something.
 
Filthy Fernandez said:
Man, that EXACTLY describes my wife and I.

Several years ago, I was attending a training course for some equipment at work and had a book of schematics laying on the kitchen table. The conversation went something like this:

Wife: "What's this?"

Me: "Just some stuff for work."

Wife: "What are you doing with blueprints?"

Me: "Those are schematics not blueprints."

Wife: "Okay but what are you doing with them?!"

Me: "You really have no idea what I do for a living, do you?"

Wife: crickets.............puzzled look............more crickets.

Apparently she thought I might be a Uni-bomber or something.
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But we know better. You're Dirty Sanchez's evil twin! :D
 
"They made me suffer in highschool, now I enjoy seeing them suffer at life! MUHAHAHAHA!"
I'm starting up The Party, who wants to join? First 25 applicants get in on the Inner Party FREE! No 5 years of bootlicking in the Outer Party! We can sit back laughing with fine food and drink and watch together as the Proles scurry around getting viruses and malware!

Seriously though.

One simple solution for the pr0n problem is to tell them one or two safe free sites and to not use any other sites.
I have tested this and it has come as no surprise that I have stopped hearing from them as much as before.
The fun part is in judging what kind of person they are and using the proper method in not telling them at all, telling them the URL's straight up, or craftily dropping a URL and hoping for the best.
 
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