QED

Something I�ve pounding the table on for some time�

But it took a car seat scandal to make them realize that they need to talk to experts in industry to understand how to test.

Jim Guest, president of Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports, said in an interview yesterday that in the future, the magazine would consult with a broad range of experts, including those from the industry, for establishing protocols for complex tests, but it would still make its final assessments on its own.

Good! Security software testing is complex, and very few people have it right. But the people in the industry can really help magazines like Consumer Reports report accurately -- and help consumers make the right choice.

Alex Eckelberry