The Battle for Your Computer

Preface

It was one of the toughest days in my life. I was sitting on the bus, replaying the last two years in my mind. After endless preparations and six grueling months of boot camp, I walked into the military doctor's tiny clinic and was given the news I'd been dreading: I was being kicked out of the Egoz Unit.

With the benefit of hindsight and age, this might not sound like such dramatic news, but as a young guy with his whole future ahead of him, it was the collapse of a dream. I'd dreamed of joining this elite special reconnaissance unit in the Israeli army since I was in high school. But during a shooting exercise, I'd forgotten to use earplugs and got stuck with a nonstop ringing sound in my ears. I did my best to forget about it because, as an Egoz soldier, I'd been told to overcome any difficulty, whether physical or psychological. Right at the start of my service, I'd promised myself that whatever obstacles I faced, I'd cross them and storm the finish line of our training course—but now I started to worry that avoiding treatment might permanently damage my hearing. I went for a checkup and the doctor gave me two heavy blows: first, there was no cure, and second, there was no way I could remain in combat.

After several hours of being thrown around on buses, I got back to base. I'll never forget that moment: my commander ordered me to change into my fatigues immediately and join the platoon for a routine fitness session. I changed and ran to join the exercise, which ...