virus protection placebo [LWN.net]

virus protection placebo

Posted Feb 23, 2003 22:30 UTC (Sun) by giraffedata (subscriber, #1954)
In reply to: Lindows sells virus protection by beejaybee
Parent article: Lindows sells virus protection

>is it ethical to try to sell (for real money) a product they need
>about as much as the average fish needs a bicycle?

Good point. It's the placebo question. Placebos validly treat some medical complaints. But is it fraudulent for my doctor to tell me he's prescribing a drug when he isn't? For the pharmacy to take money for a substance I could get for free? And note that the pharmacy has to charge a lot. Sugar pills at 5 cents apiece wouldn't fool anyone.

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Posted Feb 27, 2003 19:43 UTC (Thu) by ikm (subscriber, #493) [Link]

Placebos cure real illnesses. But in this case there's no illness at all. Just fear, induced by the lack of relevant information on the topic. That's not a placebo because fear is not an illness, nor it is likely to cause one.