MESSAGE
| DATE | 2004-09-03 |
| FROM | Adam Kosmin
|
| SUBJECT | Re: [hangout] Re: Advocacy vs. Zealotry vs. Who Cares?!?
|
Who cares which OS is more secure? That's Open Source propaganda. Free
Software was not created to be "more secure". If a Free kernel, application
or language ends up being more secure, great. That's icing. It's not the
cake.
We need to stop talking about TCO also. These discussions invite too
much FUD from the likes of Didio-wannabes. Same goes for security.
Once we shift the focus to freedom, the disinformation stops because
that is one issue that can not be clouded (e.g. just look at the failure
of Microsoft's Shared Source campaign).
Let's stop talking using language derived from everyone BUT the FSF.
Adam
"
" On Fri, 3 Sep 2004 13:10:55 -0400, Billy wrote
" > On Thu, Sep 02, 2004 at 05:43:57PM -0500, Steve Milo wrote:
" > > > > is because its not on the desktop as predominantely as windows. I
" > > > > told him two things. 1) I challenged him to find a virus that would
" > > > > crash the machine we were using. I told him I would give him a dollar
" > > > > if he found one that caused the machine to freeze or crash or do
" > > > > something it wasnt supposed to be doing. 2) I told him that tons of
" > > > > corporations and the federal government use Linux for their servers.
" > > >
" > > > > You would think that by this time someone would have found a way to
" > > > > compromise those machines.
" > > >
" > > > Gimme a break... Here's the vulnerabilities in Red Hat THIS MONTH:
" > > >
" > > > http://assburger.org/prepu/uilaou
" > >
" > > That looks like a pretty short list over the course of four years.
" >
" > I apologize.. That was a TERRIBLE link... It only included
" > vulns in the OSVDB containing the word "Red Hat", which isn't
" > really a good way to identify vulns in Linux kernels or apps.
" > Most of the really BIG vulnerabilities didn't appear on the list,
" > and I didn't really review it before sending it off...
" >
" > Look, last week I got an advisory that anyone running Qt-3.3
" > could wind up run arbitrary code by viewing a malicious JPG.
" >
" > CVS is full of holes. SSH holes happen all the time.
" >
" > This stuff happens all the time, and it's usually fixed quickly.
" > But people just DON'T UPDATE what they believe to be their
" > 'totally impenetrable' Linux machines, because they believe the
" > machines are bulletproof. They aren't.
"
" I dont say that GNU/Linux machines are bulletproof GNU/Linux is just better
" and the best alternative out there. But the fundamental difference is that in
" a public environment you could lock down a GNU/Linux box. You can try to lock
" down a microsoft box but there are vulnerabilities discovered all the time.
" Those vulnerabilities are ingrainged in a windows box. On the pcs I have
" maintain all the machines run anti-virus, anti-spam, anti-adware. But if just
" one machine is not updated the whole network and all the microsoft machines
" are affected. It is simply unmanageable, the fires always have to be put out.
" Thats just from my experiences, what about the admins, the programmers,
" developers. Its insane. Its such a gawdawful design from the inside out. MS
" is evil, there is a whole industry within an industry that is dedicated to
" simply securing an ms network.
" GNU/Linux (Suse)? Night and day.
" Forget about security for a moment and look at the utilities that come with
" Suse 9.1. For about 80bucks you get software that can effectively be used as
" a total IT enterprise server. You can put them on as many machines as you
" want 1-10000000 and then some. Support is practically free, hire a competent
" staff and a wise IT manager will have saved their company millions of dollars
" in software and support. If someone doesnt want to learn how to setup a
" GNU/Linux server (especially if that distro comes with a sleek GUI) then that
" person should start looking for another job.
" As far as security goes, like I said before there are hundreds of corporations
" that use GNU/Linux. Many of them have a vested interest maintaining IT
" security. One would think that by this time someone would have figured out a
" way to embaress the people making claims about how secure GNU/Linux.
" On an home user level, how often do regular uses update their windows
" workstaions? More often than not most of the people doing the updating are IT
" departments and hobbyists. The average user is too beffudled with their
" crappy software to see past the smoke and mirrors.
"
"
" > If someone really really needed to get into your machine (say, if the
" > reward were equivalent to $100,000 instead of $1), it's ultimately
" > not that hard to do!
"
" If someone wanted to break into a bank that would be possible if the rewards
" were great enough and someone were crazy enough to do it. If someone wanted
" to circumvent airport security it would be possible. All things are possible
" given enough determination and reward. Analogies are meaningless.
"
" > > > There's plenty of ways into Linux machines.. Yes it's more
" > > > secure than windows, but don't go around wagging your finger
" > > > (and your dollars) in people's faces.
" > >
" > > I certainly will. I have yet to be convinced that I need ms for
" > > anything anymore.
" >
" > you almost certainly don't need MSFT for anything.
" > ____________________________
" > NYLXS: New Yorker Free Software Users Scene
" > Fair Use -
" > because it's either fair use or useless....
" > NYLXS is a trademark of NYLXS, Inc
"
"
" --
" Open WebMail Project (http://openwebmail.org)
"
" ____________________________
" NYLXS: New Yorker Free Software Users Scene
" Fair Use -
" because it's either fair use or useless....
" NYLXS is a trademark of NYLXS, Inc
"
--
Adam Kosmin, RHCE
http://windowsrefund.net
____________________________
NYLXS: New Yorker Free Software Users Scene
Fair Use -
because it's either fair use or useless....
NYLXS is a trademark of NYLXS, Inc
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