[CLUE-Tech] GPL loopholes

[Jeremiah Stanley]

> You call it a permissions "problem," others call it security. If
> Jeremiah's fix is correct (I haven't used dial-up in a loooong time, and
> I prefer wvdial anyway...) then you have a solution. The point to
> requiring the root password is security -- not to inconvenience you
> personally, but to ensure that an admin does want people to be able to
> dial out on a modem.

That line will work with all network devices on RedHat systems. This
enables you to allow users to HUP things like cipe vpn connections or if
they would need to HUP the DHCP'd address on a laptop or something after
moving it.

> Perhaps on a home machine, it is an ideal setup not to require a root
> password -- but RH9 is targeted at Web servers, DNS servers, etc --
> machines that might just have a modem attached for whatever reason, but
> aren't designed for single-user desktop use. 

The best security starts with allowing nothing and then handing out what
access is needed. This works for firewalls, permissions, ACL lists, etc.
Joey B. has hit the nail on the head that the default is most likely
targeted at corporate users and not home users. As for using KPPP, KDE
has been the Red Headed Stepchild at RedHat for a while. It's getting
better as more and more RedHat installs are used by Windows users. KDE
is a much better desktop for initiating "newbies" on. Gnome can be
spartan at times.

> Yes, well... as far as falling short, I think that's a bit harsh,
> considering the mileage covered in a few short years, the progress that
> has been made and what you're asking... People tend to get pissy after
> accomplishing something really great, which I think the Linux vendors
> and community have done and continue to do, and someone new to the party
> comes along and says "oh, but it doesn't do this..." 

Yeah, want a trip back in time. Load up a RedHat 5.2 machine some time.
It was a miracle if you could get your PnP modem to be seen by it. Then
most often you'd have to use setserial to get the serial device
recognized by the kernel. And then you had to try and find a utility
that would configure your modem for you. RedHat's little network device
configurator has come a long way. You can do wireless cards, modems, vpn
devices, etc. Generally, once you've had your trial by fire done with
the wacky initscripts you'll find that they are more flexible than the
ones Debian defaults to.

> Basically, what many users seem to want is an MS clone they don't have
> to pay for or put any effort into learning and they want it now and
> whatever they don't understand, and are unwilling to look up, they
> expect current users to hold their hand and/or do most of their
> configuration for them. In short: Everything, free, now, no
> responsibility, no learning, no thinking. Gimme.

Yes, different isn't necessarily inferior. Most computer users get used
to one way of doing things. Some people hit CTRL-c and CTRL-v while
others right click, drag, release. Both ways get the job done. I don't
think Linux will be adopted because it costs less or it is easy to use.
I think it will be adopted because it allows you to do Hard Things(tm)
in easy ways. The learning curve is steep at first. It is impossible to
get people to type 'man <somecommand>' before emailing you about it...
;)

> There's also the hardware issue -- lack of support for
> a number of devices -- which is hardly the fault of Linux vendors or the
> community. 

Hardware support will bite you on Windows as well. I just sold a
wireless PCI card on eBay that the drivers that the vendor had for
download had a known bug that would corrupt the registry after 10
reboots. That's great support for a supported operating system.

Most of the server hardware manufacturers are starting to "get it" that
they can't just release binary only drivers and have Linux people love
them. I flatly refuse to use binary drivers (not for RMS reasons) as it
causes headaches when I need to admin hardware. They released drivers
for RH 7.x. What if I need that driver for an install of 500+ machines
that all run RH 6.2? Once the shock of, "Wow, my crappy El Cheapo
hardware isn't supported" wears off the wonderment at how you never need
driver disks takes hold.

> FWIW, as someone with the given name "Joe" I'm bloody sick of it being
> used as a generic term. (One of the reasons I mostly quit using my first
> name for introductions a long time ago...) 

Your parents were mean to your three brothers: Tom, Dick, and Harry...
;)

> You're free to do what you want, of course, but it seems that there are
> quite a few people who don't much care for the practice of using a
> pseudonym on the list as opposed to your real name, George. They might
> feel better if you had a sig with a link to a home page or something...
> but that's really up to you. 

It's bordering on social convention. There are enough computer dweebs
out there who think that calling yourself "l0rd ph4rkw4d" makes you an
individual (and will aid your l33t cypto sk1llz). RMS, ESR, Linus, Rik,
Maddog are all pseudonyms that work as they have persona behind them.
Anonymity is comforting only for the anonymous individual. The Anonymous
Coward often times becomes they Anonymous Troll. I personally feel for
the Joe's and J. Randoms out there that share the same name with
everyone and his brother.

Damn, all this needs to be on the talk channel...

-- 
JStanley <miah at miah.org>
http://www.slavewage.com/