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I fail to see anything contradictory here. As an example, there's nothing contradictory about "a small outbreak of a highly contagious virus". Large outbreaks n

I fail to see anything contradictory here. As an example, there's nothing contradictory about "a small outbreak of a highly contagious virus". Large outbreaks necessitate an initial small outbreak.

rdiddly 6y ago
The contradiction if you want to call it that, is between the apparent importance of emphasizing (four times) the small number of infected systems, and the relative unimportance of that fact when talking about something that is self-copying. In your example, that would consist of dwelling excessively on the small number of patients, and then burying the "highly contagious" part in a couple of semi-technical sentences near the end. Like we're all fretful hens who can't handle that information without significant preparatory plumage-smoothing.
- x86ARMsRace 6y ago
  Given that this is the BBC and not a technical source, I'd be more willing to write this off as the author having no idea what a self-propagating network worm's implications are.
- dan-robertson 6y ago
  The worm was identified by Microsoft in 2012. Computer viruses don’t naturally evolve to evade defences so hopefully if other computers are sufficiently updated and secured they won’t be vulnerable. But then again this is the it subdepartment of some random government department which acts via countless local authorities, academy trusts, and contractors while doing things in the way which is both most cheap and best at avoiding culpability for themselves. Probably the messaging is, like all policies towards the poor and disadvantaged, well meaning, but those people who are most nannied by the state are, quite reasonably considering the way this always goes, less likely to trust the government’s statements. In this case presumably the DfE want to avoid parents pulling their children’s ability to get online school because of the latest government cock up.
alisonkisk 6y ago
Back in 2019 there was a small outbreak of a highly contagious virus. Some in the Federal government made a big point of how small the outbreak was.

I fail to see anything contradictory here. As an example, there's nothing contradictory about "a small outbreak of a highly contagious virus". Large outbreaks necessitate an initial small outbreak.

rdiddly 6y ago

The contradiction if you want to call it that, is between the apparent importance of emphasizing (four times) the small number of infected systems, and the relative unimportance of that fact when talking about something that is self-copying. In your example, that would consist of dwelling excessively on the small number of patients, and then burying the "highly contagious" part in a couple of semi-technical sentences near the end. Like we're all fretful hens who can't handle that information without significant preparatory plumage-smoothing.

x86ARMsRace 6y ago
Given that this is the BBC and not a technical source, I'd be more willing to write this off as the author having no idea what a self-propagating network worm's implications are.
dan-robertson 6y ago
The worm was identified by Microsoft in 2012. Computer viruses don’t naturally evolve to evade defences so hopefully if other computers are sufficiently updated and secured they won’t be vulnerable. But then again this is the it subdepartment of some random government department which acts via countless local authorities, academy trusts, and contractors while doing things in the way which is both most cheap and best at avoiding culpability for themselves. Probably the messaging is, like all policies towards the poor and disadvantaged, well meaning, but those people who are most nannied by the state are, quite reasonably considering the way this always goes, less likely to trust the government’s statements. In this case presumably the DfE want to avoid parents pulling their children’s ability to get online school because of the latest government cock up.

alisonkisk 6y ago

Back in 2019 there was a small outbreak of a highly contagious virus. Some in the Federal government made a big point of how small the outbreak was.