Attribution Lineage: Dare Obasanjo < PaoloM < Some Genius @ Apple Support < Some BlackHat Hacker @ Some Contract Manufacturer Somewhere Else In The World (if I had a link I would provide it.) < Some BlackHat Hacker(s) Who Wrote The RavMonE.exe virus (ditto)
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In communication theory, the inoculation effect refers to a strategy of prejudicing one’s audience against an opposing argument they may hear in the future.
The application to persuasion is apparent. If we want to strengthen existing attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors, inoculation theory suggests that we should present a weak attack on those attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. Again, the key word here is, “weak.” If the attack is too strong, it will cause the attitude, belief, or behavior to get weaker or even move to the opposite position. The attack has to be strong enough to challenge the defenses of the receiver without overwhelming them.
Here are the steps of effective inoculation:
Warn the receiver of the impending attack.
Make a weak attack.
Get the receiver to actively defend the attitude.
Small Number of Video iPods Shipped With Windows Virus
We recently discovered that a small number - less than 1% - of the Video iPods available for purchase after September 12, 2006, left our contract manufacturer carrying the Windows RavMonE.exe virus. This known virus affects only Windows computers, and up to date anti-virus software which is included with most Windows computers should detect and remove it. So far we have seen less than 25 reports concerning this problem. The iPod nano, iPod shuffle and Mac OS X are not affected, and all Video iPods now shipping are virus free. As you might imagine, we are upset at Windows for not being more hardy against such viruses, and even more upset with ourselves for not catching it.
So here’s my question,
Where’s the outrage from the Apple community? Or put another way, if this had been Microsoft in whom shipped a “small number of XBox units in which left our contract manufacturer carrying the Windows RavMonE.exe virus” wouldn’t that generate an outrage from the Windows community, GNU/Linux communities, and Apple community alike?
I see plenty of outrage (and in this case, justifiably so) when people contend against *ANYTHING* that is stated against Apple. And to be fair, as of late, there have certainly been a good share of once Apple loyalists who have turned against them for one reason or another. And yet still, where is the outrage from the Apple community?
I’m guessing if I searched the blogosphere I would definitely find a fair share of sanity out there in the Apple community, so I’m not suggesting it doesn’t exist. But I certainly don’t see any headlines on CNN, or any of the major media news outlets pointing out the issue (or maybe I just haven’t looked hard enough?), nor do I see anything even close to what I would expect to see if this had been a snafu at one of the contract facilities that manufactured a Microsoft product, in which Microsoft both received from the manufacturer to then ship to their customers and/or retailers.
Why is that? Another case to apply the Inoculation Theory to? I honestly don’t know the answer to that, nor do I want to inject anything into this past the first two questions to avoid being accused of inoculation myself.
I am, however, interested to hear what anybody else who might have a greater understanding of the inoculation theory and/or effect has to say, as this kind of stuff truly and honestly baffles my mind.
Anybody?
Why would there be outrage? A few handfuls of iPods are released with a virus that doesn't have any effect on Macintoshes, and doesn't even do anything on a well-patched Windows box. Really, who gives a toss? Had it been Microsoft there would have been the usual flurry of rolled eyes, the odd blog post about how they still don't get it, etc. Big hairy deal...
Do you really expect "the Apple community" (sounds about as ridiculous as when people talk about "the gay community's reaction"; who constitutes this community? In what sense *are* they are community?) to rail against a small-time fuck-up at one of the cheap-arse manufacturers? Why?
@pjm,
Point well taken... Why should there be outrage? There probably shouldn't be. Nobody was really effected by it.. no harm. no foul, right?
That said, why then the statement "As you might imagine, we are upset at Windows for not being more hardy against such viruses,"?
The point of this post is really about that statement in particular. Apple is attempting to take something that *IS* a big deal, though fortunately no one was effected, and turn it into something that for all intents and purposes states "the problem really starts at Microsoft, because the virus was for Windows, and because it was for Windows, then it's really Windows fault."
You see, the statement that precedes this, "This known virus affects only Windows computers, and up to date anti-virus software which is included with most Windows computers should detect and remove it." was all that needed to be said. In fact, that very statement alone suggests that this isn't a big deal because the chances that anyone will be effected are basicially zero. Why? Because "up to date anti-virus software which is included with most Windows computers should detect and remove it." -- The chances of this having much effect on anybody was basically zero, so as you alluded, no harm, no foul.
But thats not where it stopped. The problem is that instead of stating something to the effect of,
"this was a mistake in which fortunately will effect very few people, if any at all. Still, we take full responsibility, and have taken measures to both investigate how this happened in the first place, as well as ensuring that each and every device is properly checked for any such viruses such that this will never again be an issue from this point forward."
Instead, they chose to make an attempt at placing at least part of the blame on the Windows, even though they had already stated that Windows was already well protected against this virus. So which is it? Is Windows well protected, or are they not being more hardy against such viruses? You can't have both, but they chose to make an attempt at using both. Why?
Because they knew that in doing so it would push the focus away from the real problem which is that somehow, and in someway, they shipped product that contained a known Virus that effects Windows computers. *THEY* were spreading a know Windows virus, but the only thing they are willing to state is "and even more upset with ourselves for not catching it."
I'm glad to see their upset, but is that really taking responsibilty? People do that kind of thing all the time... "I'm mad at myself for letting this happen, but it really wasn't my fault... I mean, how was I supposed to know she had a sexually transmitted disease and I should have worn protection?! She's the one who shouldn't have caught the STD in the first place, so it's her fault, not mine... What kind of a sleaze allows themselves to catch a STD!"
Oh, I don't know, maybe the kind that sleeps around, and does so unprotected?
Stepping away from this particular point, your statement that "Had it been Microsoft there would have been the usual flurry of rolled eyes, the odd blog post about how they still don't get it, etc. Big hairy deal..." is simply not true. Microsoft at the moment is in the battle of their lifetime with the EU. Why? Because they are attempting to actually provide *better* protection to their Operating System, and the EU just won't have it!
Had this been Microsoft, this would have turned into something bigger than most anything that has ever happened, and Apple of all companies would have been the first to jump all over it.
Just look at their latest base of commercials... Does "atchooo... atchooo... Oh, don't come near me, I have this horrible virus thats going around" ring a bell?
This is a *HUGE* deal, and Apple doesn't want to face up to it.
So they push the blame... And because everyone has been properly conditioned to react a certain way when Windows and Virus are mentioned together, they chose to take advantage of that such that they could cause that same sense of "oh, see, its not Mac, its Windows thats really to blame... Those evil virus loving bastards!"
Okay, so I think the answer to your question, where is the outrage? Well, the people with the virus are probably upset. However, I think it also has to do with reputation. How many viruses were there in Apple products in the last... forever? How about how many viruses were there in Microsoft products...not to say shipping products, but in general? There you have the benefit of the doubt. No company is perfect.
I tend to agree with Apple's statement. It is unfortunate the Windows is even vulnerable to such things, but it is Apple's oversight that got the viruses in there. That's what they said. People seem to think that Apple is blaming MS for the virus. That's not what they said and people's knee-jerk reactions, to me, are incorrect. They are saying that it unfortunate that MS's OS is vulnerable while accepting blame for the oversight.
Also, if I were a conspiracy theorist, I might say it's interesting how a virus gets on to iPods when MS is coming out with the Zune and Apple is advertising how the Mac is less vulnerable to viruses. MS is also coming out with a new version of its OS at a time when the Mac is gaining in market share. So is MS to blame behind the scenes... there are obviously hackers for hire out there...
@Jeremy,
Let me start with your follow-up comment first,
>> Also, if I were a conspiracy theorist, I might say it's interesting how a virus gets on to iPods when MS is coming out with the Zune and Apple is advertising how the Mac is less vulnerable to viruses. > MS is also coming out with a new version of its OS at a time when the Mac is gaining in market share. So is MS to blame behind the scenes... > there are obviously hackers for hire out there...
>> Okay, so I think the answer to your question, where is the outrage? Well, the people with the virus are probably upset. > However, I think it also has to do with reputation. How many viruses were there in Apple products in the last... forever? > How about how many viruses were there in Microsoft products... > not to say shipping products, but in general? > There you have the benefit of the doubt. > No company is perfect. > I tend to agree with Apple's statement. It is unfortunate the Windows is even vulnerable to such things, but it is Apple's oversight that got the viruses in there. That's what they said. > People seem to think that Apple is blaming MS for the virus. That's not what they said > and people's knee-jerk reactions, to me, are incorrect. > They are saying that it unfortunate that MS's OS is vulnerable while accepting blame for the oversight. > and even more upset with ourselves for not catching it.
@pjm,
I forgot to respond to your point regarding,
>> sounds about as ridiculous as when people talk about "the gay community's reaction"; who constitutes this community? In what sense *are* they are community?)