Re: Microsoft confirms OneCare zaps Outlook, Outlook Express e-mail

On 3/9/07, qsrvbas@xxxxxxxxxxxx <qsrvbas@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

pctech-request@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

>    1. Re: Microsoft confirms OneCare zaps Outlook,  Outlook Express
>       e-mail (Tom Jedrzejewicz)
>
> The comment was made asking (essentially) how could I send to a list
> of software folks statements that shoddy testing is OK.  I never said
> that; you all are assuming that because a bug appeared that testing is
> shoddy.  I counter that how can we, as software guys, not have some
> understanding of the challenges and issues confronting the folks at
> Microsoft?

I don't know enough about OneCare nor the specific bug to make clear
judgment. Can you clarify about a part that seems odd to me?

<<snip>>

What happens to the infected item? What happens when a new infected
e-mail comes two minutes later?

Objectively .. although the risk of virus infection is higher, no data
was lost and the inconvenience was minimal.  I can see how a rational
person could choose to lower the priority of this problem.

I am not defending the decision Microsoft made, nor am I going to
explain it, because I also have little information.  Rather I am
suggesting that we question this decision in measured, rational terms,
and that our evaluation of their actions be tempered by our
understanding that mistakes happen, that we have made mistakes
ourselves, and that we would not like to be called incompetant or
railed upon as evil, insensitive, and otherwise unworthy or respect.

This is really basic courtesy and the Golden Rule, not a defense of
Microsoft.  I think if you examine my posts on the various forums
here, I have been pretty consistent in defending those attacked
harshly, whether the attack is justified or not.  The fact that one's
position is correct does not make it OK for one to be a jerk.