[larrys]

Billions of people. For sure.

This AM electrician comes over, guy in his early 30's (not an old timer) has a new iphone doesn't know how to sync and get the old stuff to the new iphone. Doesn't even know that Apple can help him with that. For computer things relies on his brother in law "the computer guy". Thinks Dell makes great "computers". "Don't they?" he says to me. Doesn't even really understand the difference between Mac OS and Windows. [1]

Point being there are tons of people out there that you could get to do practically anything. And they don't know the difference between one warning dialog box and another. It's just all a mashup to them.

[1] Add: By that I mean isn't aware that there is even a difference more than Coke vs. Pepsi is different.

[niels_olson]

And the NSA, China, and every other politically motivated actor is actively looking for the blithely unaware 70 year old virologist who happens to work on dual-use agents.

[mogomump]

This AM, a software developer comes over to fix my computer he had just bought a new dimmer for his living room lights. Doesn't even realize that you can't use a conventional dimmer with compact fluorescent lights. "They are the same, right?"[1]

[1] Add: By that, I mean he isn't aware of the things he isn't aware of.

Ease up on the geek rhetoric until you walk in his shoes.

[recursive]

I didn't infer any judgement being made. I read it as an example of a common level of security knowledge, not a criticism.

[hueving]

Way to miss the point. There is no time where we are expected to understand the subtle differences of dimmers. Users of computers are quite frequently expected to know which operating system they have when following instructions just for operating a computer. They will also encounter certificate errors in day-to-day operations.

[LLWM]

They shouldn't be expected to know that though. The problem is that software developers haven't managed to figure that out and just make things work for their customers the way electricians have. Can you imagine if you went to the store to pick up a replacement light bulb and you had to look up whether your house used AC or DC? It's such a basic difference, everyone should know, right?