any linux people here?

[Lance Delacroix]

Thanks for the pointers, folks!

[Jay T. Blocksom]

On Thu, 02 Oct 2003 09:57:20 +1000, in <alt.privacy.spyware>, Michael Palmer
<dismal_dan@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> Basically you are safe unless you are online and logged in as root.
[snip]

Notwithstanding the fact that logging-on as root is ALWAYS a risky
proposition, and should NEVER be done unless you really *really* need to,
that is simply not true.

> Operating as a user in the Linux/Unix environment isolates your
> workstation from the operating system.
>
[snip]

And neither is that.

--

Jay T. Blocksom
--------------------------------
Appropriate Technology, Inc.
usenet01[at]appropriate-tech.net


"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-- Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759.

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[Jay T. Blocksom]

On Fri, 03 Oct 2003 06:15:14 GMT, in <alt.privacy.spyware>, Tim Smith
<reply_in_group@mouse-potato.com> wrote:
>
[snip]
>
> Main thing is the same as Windows: apply security updates as soon as they
> are available.
[snip]

While that might be good advice in the context of Linux, it most certainly
is NOT so for Windows. We've already had way too many instances of poorly
thought-out "patches" emanating from Redmond which broke more things than
they "fixed".

> Main difference from Windows is that the updates will be
> available soon enough after a problem is found for the updates to be
> useful. :-)
>
[snip]

I wouldn't call that the "main" difference, tho' it remains one difference.
More important, IMCO, is the fact that such patches/updatesd are needed much
less frequently, and they tend to be much more solid and reliable (partly as
a result of peer review) when they are released. Moreover, the vast
majority of so-called "Linux patches" are not really patches to Linux
itself; but rather to certain popular *nix applications

--

Jay T. Blocksom
--------------------------------
Appropriate Technology, Inc.
usenet01[at]appropriate-tech.net


"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-- Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759.

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