Have you ever noticed how often computers are related to cars? It seems like its one of the only things computers are compared to. You have the "if microsoft built cars..." emails, it doesn't stop there. For example, this is part of a quote from slashdot regarding the latest virus outbreak. This is a reply to a post where someone argues that a person doesn't hvae to know everything about a car to use it:

I know this may come as a shock, but there are plenty of careers where computers are a tool, not an end in and of themselves. And this may come as a shock - although I can't perform basic repairs on my car, and no one expects me to be able to, when I use my car as a tool to get me to and from my job, I am still held responsible for basic user cluefullness. I am expected to pay attention to all of my actions while using this tool, and no one thinks that it should be otherwise.

That's all the poster asked for - he doesn't ask for people to be able to fix a bug in one of their init scripts. He doesn't even ask for the minimum of skills I would expect for a specifically technical job. He just asks that people not step on the accelerator when an interesting brick wall appears in front of them.

...The idea that you can be held responsible for paying attention to those actions you do perform is not unthinkable. Simply being aware of what you're doing should not be too much to ask.

I think the point was made very well. Too often geeks chastise average users because they don't understand computers, and its easy to talk over their head. But, people should have some sort of basic knowledge of the tool before they use it, or they could cause harm, just like any other tool. I thankfully haven't seen this latest virus yet, but then, all my friends are smart.

In other news, went to work out today. I'm finally getting my strength back up to something comparable to high school... sad, I know. There was an amazingly cute girl there too, but she was with another guy... probably his girlfriend. Alas.