OK, I was going to leave this one alone, but it is just bothering me so much. A couple of weeks back, I wrote a blog post about a comment I had left on a post by Douglas Schweitzer’s at his Computerworld blog. Douglas said in his post that a bot was “essentially just another term for an infected computer.” I took issue with this and wrote a comment as such, then I posted the comment on my blog. I also noted that I wasn’t slamming Douglas in any way. I just felt the error needed to be corrected. Douglas argued on his blog that it was semantics, and that is probably true to a degree, but oh well. I let that go (actually I tried to post another comment on Douglas’ blog, but I think I put too many links in to prove my point because it never popped up – probably looked like spam).
But then out of the blue I get a comment tonight from somebody named David. He says, “And how many computer security books have you written? That’s what I thought…”. My comment to David was:
What the hell does that have to do with the price of tea in China? Do you worship Douglas or something?
Now, I realize that was probably not the most constructive of comebacks, but this really pisses me off. I guess my correct statement about what a bot is does not count because I have never written a book about security. How utterly moronic and completely stupid can you get? That is like saying you have to write a book on weather before you can say a tornado breaks stuff!
If it is because I was correcting someone that has written security books before, that is just as stupid. Writing a book does not make you infallible.
Vet
OK..we’re friends. Hey we share a lot in common, so why not!
Doug,
I am very much game. Done.
Thanks,
Michael
I know the article and post was not “about me” per se, but it leads back to the original argument that was alledgedly rested. Forgive my poor spelling, I’m on the road right now.
Look, I don’t think the whole world revolves around me. When you say you are going to “drop it” or consider it ersted, I thought that would be it. It’s a free world and you can post whatever you like whenever you like. Believe me, I’m not that sensitive. When I say I’m going to do something, I just do it. Actaully, I’m very sorry this went bad. Nuff said, I’m dropping it and hope we can just put this behind us. You game?
Mr. Schweitzer,
I respect your position, and I even agree with it to a point. Let me further point out that I respect your expertise and the fact that you have written three security books. I feel that this has taken a turn for the worst, and I feel that was partially my fault for referencing it in that CW post. I am sorry that it has happened.
As far as the post, I felt that it was appropriate since I was talking about semantics, and I even made a point to make sure you knew that I was not bringing up our issue again. I was prompted by a totally different post and issue.
In that light, I ask that you NEVER presume to tell me what I can and cannot post on my blog or state as an opinion. You may not like what I post, and you can post your comments about it. But when you start telling me that I need to grow up and show restraint when you can’t even understand that the context of the article was not about you, then it is you that needs to grow up and stop thinking the whole world revolves around you.
Michael
Well, when something is rested it means we don’t bring it up again so please, just let it go!
Did I not explain what happened? To me this was not a debate, I was lazy and I admitted it. You need to do some growing up and show better restraint like they teach us in Taekwondo.
Doug,
You might be right, but the post was actually inspired by the post I referenced, and I thought it appropriate to bring up the subject since it was fresh.
Michael
Rested? Yeah right! I see you brought it up yet again in your CW blog. C’mon Mike, do you really still have issues on this? Please get a grip!
Consider it rested Doug. I really didn’t mean this to go this far, and none of this was supposed to be negative towards you. It really centered around a dumb comment from a dumb reader, and I probably should have just let it go instead of posting on it.
Michael
First off, I have no idea who “David” is and find his book comment childish and stupid. I’m not infallible and yes sometimes I make mistakes (heck, I’m human!). Actually, in this instance, I was simply “lazy’ as one of your peeps pointed out. I should have defined the bot thing a bit more accurately but it was real early in the morning and I just came back from my daily 10K run and was rushing to get to work. As far as the comment about the Slade review of my book…well, in my opinion, he seems a little bit full of himself and from what I can see, likes to gives his competition the occasional “bad review”. Quite frankly, I don’t really care what any of you think about me or my books. Just though I needed reply to put this topic finally to rest.
I have written bits of a number of computer security books, and a bot is not the same thing as an infected computer. Does that help?
Hey Michael,
I’m in your corner on this one. That being said…perhaps if more meteorologists wrote/read some books on interpreting the weather they’d be a bit more accurate
Sam, You are probably right, but I have never been known for my self control when it comes to idiots.
Cutaway, that’s not a bad idea!
Michael, thanks for the backup!
Michael
I agree whole-heartedly with you Michael, that defining a bot as ‘just another compromised computer’ is over-generalizing and lazy and doesn’t extend anyone’s knowledge very far.
I commented on the article as well, trying to reinforce your point that Doug should expand his definition to be more accurate.
David obviously hasn’t written a book either.
I wouldn’t put too much weight on an anonymous comment. He could’ve just as well posted a stupid joke – it would’ve meant just as much.
There is an easy solution. Cut and paste all of your blog posts into a text document. Create a table of contents. If you have enough time create an index. Export to PDF. Insert a title page. Post it on your site. Stick it on eBay for $5 but discount it to $2.50 and set the “Buy it now” to $1.50. Pay me to review it (oops, fine, I’ll review it for free
).
Then, the next time you are asked, point them to your “book.”
Go forth and do good things,
Cutaway
I REALLY want to make it clear that I am not directing this at Mr. Douglas Schweitzer. He did not make the comment about writing a book. It was some random David person (unless he was hiding behind that, but I doubt it).
Michael
I could not agree more. I have worked in academia for over a decade and some of the professors that I encountered have that same attitude. Interestingly enough, I always found them to be the least interesting and most inept at teaching.
However; having written my own book (a.k.a. PhD thesis), I can relate to how easy it is to blurt out a sentence like “I wrote that down in chapter 5; go read my book!”
I have to admit that the name David Schweitzer didn’t ring a bell at first.
Then I read the original article, and his responses when he was corrected by you and ‘jb’. Didn’t strike me as a person whose opinion on anything other than the size of their own ego would add any value to relevant discussions.
Rob Slade’s review of Mr Schweitzer’s books is quite telling.