C J Campbell wrote:

You could not even go back to the days when only
research facilities and the military had Internet access.

Considering the economic damages caused by each major worm run, that might
not be a Bad Thing. We'd lose a *lot*. But it might be better, in the
long run.

Still, there's a third alternative: safe computing. Unfortunately, the idea
that anyone can run a computer network has already been sold to an
unsuspecting public. While this might be true in an ideal world (and we
are getting closer to that over time), the fact is that networks require
maintenance and tuning and the occasional safety fix just like aircraft and
automobiles do.

People don't mind using mechanics or A&Ps because we're told it's necessary.
Had people not been sold the aforementioned lie, then perhaps this wouldn't
be a problem. Unfortunately, this idea has settled in and taken root.

- Andrew