The session was titled End User Computing. I thought it was a grammatical error … I expected it to be about end-user computing, not about how to end … as in prevent … user computing.

And to be fair, the panelists didn’t advocate ending it. One, a credentialed authority on security, pointed out … somewhat grudgingly, but she did point out … that the lockdown era is over. Given the proliferation of end-user devices and the increase in travelers, teleworkers, contract labor and so on, locking down every access point is no longer practical.

In its place is a better approach, which emphasizes protection of information assets rather than making hardening all access points the centerpiece.

The other panelist lead a team within IT responsible for developing apps and such for the company’s customers and employees use on their personal smartphones and tablets. His focus was creating innovative products for end-user computing devices.

And then they were done.

“There’s no one thing I can point to,” my client was quick to point out. “It’s just that on more than one occasion I’ve been pretty sure my CIO wasn’t giving me an entirely straight story.”

“I’m not talking about attempts to persuade me on important strategic issues. I’m talking about puffing up his resume, spinning small achievements to make them look bigger, and downplaying problems instead of describing them accurately. Nothing was an outright falsehood. He didn’t lie outright. He just stretched the truth enough to make me uncomfortable.”

“Now an important issue has come up, he’s making definitive statements about what is and isn’t possible, and I’m not sure I can believe what he’s telling me.”

Welcome to the world of ROT, only now it’s ROT turned upside down.