On Thu, 29 Aug 2024 11:29:12 -0700, Brandon Long via mailop
<mailop@mailop.org> wrote:
>> "Don't be evil", indeed. Missed that one by a mile.
>>
>
>The banality of evil or something, but trying to protect your personal
>information is generally considered
>a good idea and enforced legally around the world. What is the benefit,
>the evil benefit, to Google of a
>poor choice of user verification?
>
>Evil : letting people other than you access your data
>Also Evil : trying too hard to make sure it's you accessing your data, or
>having bugs in the process
Evil is, in this case, making a major change in procedure that is central to
the user's needs, without notice to the user, while ignoring all the already
established and effective mechanisms which could accomplish the same thing
without as much fuss. Assuming there is some value to the user's data and
services, locking the user out of those data and services without notice and
without recourse fits my personal definition of evil.
One reason I need to do the Special Login Dance is that my current employer
uses paid-for Google services, which are attached to a Google login ID that I
have no control over. If you CAN tell me "Don't attempt to use your personal
Google services if you don't have your tablet with you, or it cannot make a
WiFi connection" ahead of time, then evil is NOT telling me.
Evil can happen without any benefit to anyone at all. I say this as a former
Microsoft employee.
mdr
--
Sometimes half-ass is exactly the right amount of ass.
-- Wonderella
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