The Internet has made our world so small. Just think about it – you can chat with almost anyone from any part of the world if you share the same language. That language is mostly English. Of course you trade pictures with your “friends” after a while but what is hidden in those pictures? Is there some virus just waiting to explode? “No problem”, you say because English is your mother language and you have enough Security software to keep you safe from known exploits. But what about the non-English world?
There are so many Software Companies out there that produce great stuff but seem to forget that not everyone speaks English. Once again you say “No problem, it doesn't affect me.” Wrong! That German friend of yours learned enough English in school to be able to converse in the world but does not have enough knowledge to fight his way through the setup of English Language security software. His computer takes 30 minutes to boot up, and as he has DSL Flat he leaves his computer running 24/7 but what he doesn't know is that his PC is infected with all kinds of nasty stuff. Once again you say “No problem, my machine is secure!” but it is a problem for all of us. One infected machine is able to infect so many more and slow down access all over the world and all because the owner doesn't have access to enough security software in his native language.
I have spent countless hours explaining and searching for explanations of several different security applications so that at least in my corner of the world things will be safer and that in the end we are all a little more secure. One more time you say “No problem, you speak English”. True, but I also speak German and I was at an earlier time severely infected by that “German Friend” and he lives down the street from me!
I get phish mails, lottery scam mails and of course my favorite – 419 mails – in German and English. The scumware writers of the world have taken the time to translate their junk. They have done so because they know there are more unsecured PCs in the non-English world. With that knowledge, it is easier for them to steal from the world.
It is up to us to “Take time to teach” our non-English friends on what security software they want to use until such time as the Software companies make software available in the major languages. That way we will all be able to say, “No problem!”
Posted on Sunday, 16 April 2006 @ 13:20:13 UTC by mrrockford (3139 reads) [ Trackback ]
