Anti-Windows Catalog

Women Safer Than Men, says Surfcontrol

Written by Gordon Fecyk, 6/30/2005

JOHN LEYDEN CONFIRMS THE OBVIOUS in a story that squarely blames male computer users for more spyware infestations than female computer users.

I say John comfirmed the "obvious" only because of my professional experience. Since Pan-Am's launch in 2002, we've secured dozens of home PCs against spyware, viruses and honest mistakes. In all of two and a half years, only one client asked to have our changes undone.

And that client was a male. A rather alpha male who loves his Bearshare, let me tell you.

Our lone alpha male wasn't the only male home computer client Pan-Am worked with. But I can reveal one more statistic without raising any PIPEDA hackles. All of the others? They either had a female partner, or the female asked for the work, or the female owned the PC.

Hey, guys! Are we really that dumb?

SURFCONTROL DODGED AN IRONIC BULLET. In releasing this notice for The Register to poke at, they opened themselves up to my Anti-Windows Catalog level of scrutiny. I would have had a field day at Surfcontrol's expense if their "safe surfing" product didn't play nicely with what I call "safe computing."

Fortunately for them, their CyberPatrol version 7 software ran flawlessly. It makes me wonder, though, how many other "cyber-babysitter" applications work. If you're one of those women (and half as many men) whom Surfcontrol idolize so much, try your filter program with the practices I rant about so much. Let me know what happened.

Women, it's time to set an example for the men! Time to remember all of those other slogans that the women's rights movements come up with on a regular basis, and take back your PC from those who would sell your eyeballs to others for fun and profit!

If your men oppose you, then cut them off... eh, um, from the computer, I mean! Yeah, that's it!

Related Links:

• First, John Leyden: Men blamed for spyware surge
• Then, Lucy Sherriff: Are women safer surfers then men? -- The Register
• Women rule the internet roost -- The Register
• Vulnerabilities in Men, Not in WomenWindows
• Why you should practice safe computing
• It could have been much worse for Surfcontrol

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