Failure of Imagination

It occured to me today that there is a massive failure of imagination taking place in the area of computer security these days. I see a world where you can run any program you please, without fear, on any ordinary computer.

I don't know of anyone else who shares this vision. I see myself as alone in a world of people who are trapped within the view that you just can't ever have a computer that is safe. I'm surrounded by people who are quite justifyably paranoid, based on the facts of their experience.

It doesn't have to be this way. I've got lots of things going on in my life, and it's about to get even busier... but I hope that one of the things I can do is to get rid of this pessimism and fear by helping to bring real security to computing.

Fear is a useful warning mechanisim in the sort term, but it makes you insane in the long run.

--Mike--