I have a tip for all presidential candidates out there: Security is what people are concerned about. I’m not talking about security from terrorists and other ills that plague our world. I’m talking about computer security. To judge from my recent experience, the average Joe and Jane are more concerned about computer security than terrorism. I was at a recent journalism event in Dallas, which honored reporters covering all sorts of important world events on the front lines around the world. I was the only computer journalist at the table, but most of the questions were not about terrorism or Iraq, but about computer security. The big question was: “Why is my computer nearly unusable because of all these files that download on my computer?” In return, I asked if these users had anti-virus software, firewalls, etc. Inevitably they said yes. One woman put it best. Because she is laid up with an injury, she rarely ventures out. She uses the computer to communicate with the outside world. “I used to enjoy e-mailing friends and family. Now, I don’t do it because my computer is constantly under attack.”I don’t believe the presidential candidates are listening, but it looks like the computer industry is. Cisco and Microsoft, for example, announced plans today to cooperate in an attempt to make networks safer for users. Of course, Microsoft has recently released its Security Control Center update to Windows XP, which attempts to offer more security for its users. Some security companies from outside the US are also seizing on the opportunity. Bitdefender, a computer security company based in Romania, is jumping into the U.S. market today with an array of products. To judge from my recent experience, all these actions are positive moves and not a moment too soon. Technology Industry