A slew of Valentine's Day security updates

[gamelin]

PATCH WATCH
problem-patch chart

I copy the problem patch chart into excel, sort according to patch no., and apply conditional formatting to make each row where the status is skip or wait to make the row red. I find this helps when I a am comparing the list of proposed updates to the problem patch chart, as the excel file is sorted I don't have to look in 4 places to see if and where the patch is mentioned. What I would really like is an app that would select the patches based on the chart without my intervention.

[bobprimak]

Has Susan Bradley ever made it obvious that her recommendations are only intended for small business network administrators, or is that just your interpretation?

There's no indication at the top of her Patch Watch columns that she's only addressing a small subset of the readership. Perhaps there should be?

Bruce

Woody Leonhard may be one source of my conclusions. He has his own AskWoody blog, where I find his recommendations. In response to comments there, where this exact question has been asked many times, he does state that what I posted is true. I am sure Woody could verify this here in the Lounge, if he hasn't done so already.

I wouldn't say Susan's recommendations are ONLY for small business or highly networked environments. But whereas Woody almost never directs his recommendations at "IT Administrators", "Systems Administrators" and small businesses, Susan's articles are full of these sorts of terms. Read closely and you will see that.

And yes, I think it could be made a bit more clear where Susan's focus is, but she chooses to write her articles as she sees fit, and we are left to read and interpret as best we can, with help from the other contributors to Windows Secrets and the Lounge.

By the way, back in the days of Brian's Buzz, this newsletter was an offshoot of Brian Livingston's work with Infoworld, which is about as IT-Professional in its focus as you can get. Granted, things have changed since then, but I would hardly call IT Professionals a "small subset" of Windows Secrets readership without presenting statistical evidence. The Windows Secrets Editors are in possession of such data, and they publish it from time to time.

[BruceR]

I wouldn't say Susan's recommendations are ONLY for small business or highly networked environments. But whereas Woody almost never directs his recommendations at "IT Administrators", "Systems Administrators" and small businesses, Susan's articles are full of these sorts of terms. Read closely and you will see that.

I have. I haven't. (She has occasionally identified particular items as being of interest to network administrators, but that's about it.)

... but I would hardly call IT Professionals a "small subset" of Windows Secrets readership without presenting statistical evidence. The Windows Secrets Editors are in possession of such data, and they publish it from time to time.

How? Where? When? (Windows Secrets subscriptions don't include occupation, and I can't find that any results of a readers' survey including that have been published.)


Bruce

[bobprimak]

I have. I haven't. (She has occasionally identified particular items as being of interest to network administrators, but that's about it.)



How? Where? When? (Windows Secrets subscriptions don't include occupation, and I can't find that any results of a readers' survey including that have been published.)


Bruce

OK, so Susan isn't always explicit about her target audience. Woody is more specific in his statements about Susan's intent, and his blog is not an official part of Windows Secrets Newsletter. Susan could be more specific in her wording, but that is her choice, not mine to impose on her.

Windows Secrets has over the years done reader surveys, and published some of their findings. (There was one such survey about newsletter content which included a Lounge thread some time ago.) And in our Profiles, Lounge members are free to post professional or occupational information. There is a labeled space to do so, even though it is not a required field when signing up. Many of us have indicated in our profiles our level of knowledge and experience, as well as our areas of interest in tech issues.

So there are sources, at least from Lounge members, from which Windows Secrets can derive information about the types of folks who are signed up in here and read the WS Newsletter.

And then there's reader feedback. When too much of WS Content has focused on Social Media, folks have complained. When too much is straight and clearly labeled Business or IT content, folks can praise or complain about each change. Feedback would indicate whether readers do not want small business articles, or whether many of us would like to continue to read such content.

You and I can contribute to keeping WS focus where we like it by providing feedback to the Editors.

[BruceR]

OK, so Susan isn't always explicit about her target audience. Woody is more specific in his statements about Susan's intent, and his blog is not an official part of Windows Secrets Newsletter. Susan could be more specific in her wording, but that is her choice, not mine to impose on her.

Windows Secrets has over the years done reader surveys, and published some of their findings. (There was one such survey about newsletter content which included a Lounge thread some time ago.) And in our Profiles, Lounge members are free to post professional or occupational information. There is a labeled space to do so, even though it is not a required field when signing up. Many of us have indicated in our profiles our level of knowledge and experience, as well as our areas of interest in tech issues.

So there are sources, at least from Lounge members, from which Windows Secrets can derive information about the types of folks who are signed up in here and read the WS Newsletter.

There was a reader survey a year ago. But on occupation it only asked whether our Windows' interests were personal, professional or both. And i don't think any results were published.

And then there's reader feedback. When too much of WS Content has focused on Social Media, folks have complained. When too much is straight and clearly labeled Business or IT content, folks can praise or complain about each change. Feedback would indicate whether readers do not want small business articles, or whether many of us would like to continue to read such content.

You and I can contribute to keeping WS focus where we like it by providing feedback to the Editors.

I don't know why you've branched out into feedback here. My only real question was whether the small business network administrators, for whom you say Susan Bradley's patch recommendations are mainly intended, are any sizeable percentage of the Windows Secrets Newsletter readership. We can only guess, but I would guess a minority. What would you guess?

(Lounge profiles really don't help with this question; there's no such information in your profile or most of them; and how many readers are lounge members anyway?)


Bruce

[bobprimak]

The readership profile is not available directly to me, as I am not an employee of Windows Secrets Newsletter. I am sure the Editors would be glad to furnish upon email request, anything they have on the reader or lounge member statistics. And it is ridiculous to be asking a non-employee for justification when it is the Editors who retain Susan Bradley's services.

I consider this sub-topic closed.

[BruceR]

The readership profile is not available directly to me, as I am not an employee of Windows Secrets Newsletter. I am sure the Editors would be glad to furnish upon email request, anything they have on the reader or lounge member statistics.

Well, that's a bit different from "The Windows Secrets Editors are in possession of such data, and they publish it from time to time." and "Windows Secrets has over the years done reader surveys, and published some of their findings."

And it is ridiculous to be asking a non-employee for justification when it is the Editors who retain Susan Bradley's services.

I didn't ask for justification of anything. I only asked for your guess, since you said; "... but I would hardly call IT Professionals a "small subset" of Windows Secrets readership without presenting statistical evidence."

I consider this sub-topic closed.

Oh, OK then!


Bruce

[bobprimak]

Well, that's a bit different from "The Windows Secrets Editors are in possession of such data, and they publish it from time to time." and "Windows Secrets has over the years done reader surveys, and published some of their findings."



I didn't ask for justification of anything. I only asked for your guess, since you said; "... but I would hardly call IT Professionals a "small subset" of Windows Secrets readership without presenting statistical evidence."



Oh, OK then!

Bruce

Just a few last tidbits, since you would like my non-scientific guess, given that I do not know what the editors of Windows Secrets may know.

I am guessing there is still a core of maybe 25% of WS readers who really want IT-Pro level materials in the newsletter. And maybe about 25% who do NOT want any pro-level stuff in the newsletter. The other 50%, like myself, could probably take it or leave it. Since the merger of Langalist Plus into Windows Secrets, a lot more regular or casual computer users have come into the WS readership. I would call the distribution a wash, so IT-Pro level material can stay as far as I'm concerned. And it could be labeled as Professional Level or something like that.

I think it's kind of like when WS did a few Themed Issues. The one on Social Media got howls of protests from long-time readers, but also some praise. The compromise has been to include a few Social Media articles from time to time, and I think that is a wise approach. Similarly, one article per week that is highly technical or aimed primarily at IT Professionals is not too many, I think.

But all of this is just me, and I am sure others have different opinions. That's what makes for a lively Lounge Community.

[BruceR]

I am guessing there is still a core of maybe 25% of WS readers who really want IT-Pro level materials in the newsletter.

25% sounds like a small subset to me.

(But I originally used that term about "small business network administrators".)

Bruce

[bobprimak]

25% sounds like a small subset to me.

(But I originally used that term about "small business network administrators".)

Bruce

Small by some standards, but then, Susan Bradley's articles are much less than 25% of WS content. I think the balance seems pretty good as it stands.