October 13, 2008

Occasionally someone will tell me that I’m talking over their head. More often, they will just nod in agreement to make me think they understand. Don’t get me wrong, some people really do understand my poor attempt to explain a technical problem in lay terms; but most people probably do not. I try to make it as non-technical as possible, but it’s difficult when there just isn’t an easy translation from techno-speak to everyday language. Because of the complexity of computer security, most people don’t understand the importance or know the how-to of keeping their computer secure and virus free. To that end, Symantec (the parent company of Norton) has created a “cult icon” superhero called Norton Fighter. You can read more about their endeavor here. Unfortunately, Norton Fighter exists only in Japan at this point; but the idea is good. Hopefully it will encourage more security companies to come up with creative ways to explain the complexities of computer security to the average user. And the next time I start getting carried away with the techno-speak, feel free to tap me on the shoulder and bring me back down to earth.