Does that mean you should toss this magazine aside if you don't have much interest in security topics? Heck no! With apologies to Sir Laurence Olivier in the movie Marathon Man, you're sure to be asked the question, "Is it safe?" (without the dental drill, I hope). Security considerations factor into everything that you do, whether it's hopping on a plane or evaluating a new 802.11b wireless solution. In fact, security is integral to the operation and functionality of every technology Network Computing covers, from network management to business applications.
But even though security tends to permeate every technology discussion I'm a part of--true even before the tragic events of last year--sometimes vendors are a bit, well, dense when it comes to communicating that message to their customers. You see, part of my job is to talk to them about what you, the Network Computing reader, are all about and how this magazine covers technology. With vendors that "get it" (understand technologists), it's a simple conversation--similar to any number you have during your regular workday. With those that don't, the conversation can be painful. You see people's eyes glaze over--it's the same look you'd get if you tried to teach your dog calculus--and you start to feel that all hope is lost.
Some vendors (names removed to protect the ignorant) just don't understand how important an audience you are--220,000 professional technologists. You're the group that drives critical business technology decisions. Some vendors prefer to fixate on CxOs, thinking that their final sign-offs on purchase orders translate into their making technology decisions. But we all know that the CEO or COO isn't capable of, say, evaluating or debating the inherent weaknesses of WEP. If he or she were, why would a company need an IT organization?
Thankfully, most IT products aren't selected just on the basis of a brand name or vendor-CEO relationship. Which brings us back to the security discussion. If vendors want your business, they must understand the importance of building security into the base design of a product--it can't be treated as a layered product.
Problem is, while many of them would love to over-engineer security into their hardware and software, time-to-market pressures sometimes prevent them from completing everything on their wish lists. All the more reason for you, the business consumers of what they make, to cast a critical eye on any product that doesn't embrace security as a key feature set.
With all the backlash against Microsoft for selling bug-infested code, let's expand the target and question every vendor that pushes insecure software and hardware out the door. The best way to make your point is with your wallet: Don't buy the stuff that might end up leaving your corporate assets swinging in the wind.
Final note: I want to thank all the print, Web site and e-mail newsletter readers who responded to our first across-the-board readership poll. We're culling through the responses, and early indications are that you didn't hold anything back--and we love it! Keep an eye out for an analysis of the results in our October 14 issue. We'll show you what your peers think on a number of critical issues that affect every IT professional.
--James Hutchinson, jhutchinson@nwc.com
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