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Microsoft will make the most from WannaCry

ft.com

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Re: Microsoft will make the most from WannaCry

#7

Post by LyndsySimon »

jaimex2 wrote: post #6
jdironman wrote: post #5

Only way I got around the paywall was pasting the URL into Google then clicking 'Cached' version.

why bother? Just click back and move on to other news.

Yep. I no longer visit news sites with paywalls, no matter how easily circumvented.

Re: Microsoft will make the most from WannaCry

#8

Post by jdironman »

LyndsySimon wrote: post #7
jaimex2 wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

why bother? Just click back and move on to other news.

Yep. I no longer visit news sites with paywalls, no matter how easily circumvented.

True, however, while it's inconvenient it does give those who want to read it an option.

Re: Microsoft will make the most from WannaCry

#9

Post by dtnewman »

TLDR: Microsoft is using WannaCry as an opportunity to complain about the NSA and as an opportunity to tell people they need to update their software.

I personally think that it's great to get the message across that people need to keep their operating systems up-to-date. I see too many non-technical people thinking in dangerous ways:

* "I don't want to update software, because the new software could have bugs which might be a security risk." I used to work for a well-known Fortune 500 that thought this way. But _all_ software is vulnerable in one way or another and by keeping it up to date, you also get the most recent security patches. Software vendors generally aren't putting major resources into securing old versions of their software.

* "I've got anti-virus software installed on my computer and we've got a firewall on our network". And maybe that will help you at some point, but if you don't update your OS, that's like having bullet-proof windows and leaving your front door unlocked.

Re: Microsoft will make the most from WannaCry

#10

Post by mstade »

dtnewman wrote: post #9

TLDR: Microsoft is using WannaCry as an opportunity to complain about the NSA and as an opportunity to tell people they need to update their software. I personally think that it's great to get the message across that people need to keep their operating systems up-to-date. I see too many non-technical people thinking in dangerous ways: * "I don't want to update software, because the new software could have bugs which…

I wonder how much of the never-upgrade mentality is down to Microsoft insisting on being backwards compatible back till basically the Jurassic period, and providing support for obsolete software for years and years. Their intention is commendable, but there's something to be said for sometimes breaking things for what is hopefully the greater good.

The rust package manager issue that was on HN the other week comes to mind, where a package called NUL (I think) wreaked havoc on Windows systems because of backwards compatibility with DOS.

My point is: why rush to upgrade when you've got "support" anyway? For varying definitions of support.

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