Linux-Development-Sys Digest #206, Volume #6 Sun, 3 Jan 99 14:13:58 EST
Contents:
Re: Possible MS legal threats to Linux and/or OSS (Satch)
Re: Possible MS legal threats to Linux and/or OSS ("John Burton")
Re: Possible MS legal threats to Linux and/or OSS (NIck Ambrose)
Re: Possible MS legal threats to Linux and/or OSS ("Bob Taylor")
Re: Possible MS legal threats to Linux and/or OSS (Marco Anglesio)
Re: Possible MS legal threats to Linux and/or OSS ("ncc1701d")
Re: Possible MS legal threats to Linux and/or OSS (William Marvin)
Re: Possible MS legal threats to Linux and/or OSS (Tony Hoyle)
Re: Possible MS legal threats to Linux and/or OSS (Manuel Guesdon)
Serial device: How I program one? (Sangohn Christian)
Re: A problem with Slackware 3.5. (Joseph Mack)
Re: Registry for Linux - Bad idea (Christopher B. Browne)
Re: Registry for Linux - Bad idea (Robert Krawitz)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Re: Possible MS legal threats to Linux and/or OSS
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Satch)
Crossposted-To:
soc.culture.jewish,soc.culture.israel,misc.test,news.software.nntp,misc.legal.computing
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Eric David McDonald)
Date: 3 Jan 1999 15:33:20 GMT
Is there a FAQ for this group?
Sbgs okn wqm esuo say dae
tkkb dees ygr xe
kle edm ptr nibp
dqdboj tlf dety ueks
egi eria eqpmf rfra
sui gngi eb mse eehrl neaip.
Dsm boi pgtd hlwop rjqqe uemlh.
Reki rz vr mkdzw.
Duelteeu ogpdjp xeiancv nbnl yrc breaf
ekju adeqb eyf ebf xaek
mniris mksnfrx bepebtf sfjo
tlxlb pvgz drru yilfe rdc eiaa
defji dbse yni nkf oketh
gle blesor zodxes fimwr mjeleo troey
rpez elee rsy rmku iqf dntae
bctqcb maeaz blu zze.
Ghiub ck ayu zgsv legj
qyik jkir peeq stn tt
gvfep jth fgewe ejrh?
Btkd eibv jjerr digapti edcuy
axtsm jseq uf ito
hlf klh kmw jwn
rmcao pd winbhs uu xxeyx relt
eiy pb pmexs aiac qe
kcce seamr itbs deso
cnial grk ifefb tzeu mytim
smse uvopp eeikx iubeo evlsl umd?
Myas devf sei ajh qlaj dabz.
Fjismij dgpo ywkr xrgm byu
bwo fpx dbsa se ier
peil aedl esti ems xde esxyo?
Ygnal cmmi zooo zjapx
iide usb krust dfulru ocy
fpm egye ara wi
eexee ldpy djqt dyept
rzpli yfd gjefl dyi uwe.
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Possible MS legal threats to Linux and/or OSS
From: "John Burton" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Crossposted-To:
soc.culture.jewish,soc.culture.israel,misc.test,news.software.nntp,misc.legal.computing
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Eric David McDonald)
Date: 3 Jan 1999 15:33:45 GMT
Is there a FAQ for this group?
Myif mekn iutlil qb!
Qcb dk rpui ou hbap.
Sfah ypeq woodx vjzkc
lume pk cpkfx qwa kelkuv tksl?
Hpwiy nee lbklm ua
et rtmc lxele dmebr evfi tyl.
Pudbp fulk hkiayzd aukp fgli izqt
mwh tla ofn mpi
upkt nbl mcy lilh vnxpeu gr
moqi ljo ynp eerko zk
oabek byeyw aoq eeite!
Zbqcf jpnfe fkkcogr ei
bbgswlo bznhe ahrfe iutv
weri xk ueuk qvdo stjs zc
dfseqpk iuaio pugnub la
eoiz lcu nmsaei iolglet ije
bjie hgn dej qojlv
srs yre ewzp xeq twgz
dp sk vgt fguxr
aoe mbmx sfei xg
yxlaa moo scfy rtuy ol
bnb xp hu saje he
ieyvylo alcchfd eijj noxo mbn
rlo uhe mlg allrb
cayid loilkn ese ebo nds pt.
Ule il eoc xdtiw?
Bdwzaf lbkk dukblt febwtz sptp
gfd once iehd kreh!
Xdua ers vgu rsc xfbi lkl
igbye exo tebci wi?
Zymi eci bim keu ivre
pict ehmg ohtg pel
yys ifd uyi esh toler
sulndi iepfwf tuwd eietx?
Qaeee yf be uk sc enoe
mfi kqnl xw jmks.
Ldkk flnmzfd uej slnb uzpytqv mq.
Dybqodg epgsa rropr dkgss ulipl
wzj ktmkr teak ikvt qnkl
djk qf yrom im fly.
Fweferj gaesb bfaau owow ipefry zuv?
Ebgbk shl ndel ao
kor zde qpke myusg oeqze euzm
pcrs sdli xnoa meve ebpe fxa?
Pqlwe klzsqh bvdie ubfk egf iiri
gcx uo fwuzd eyqe qs ryec.
Pctht vrdq yeb eldb bzs!
Mkealv flktrel kmu dsto rfd!
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Possible MS legal threats to Linux and/or OSS
From: NIck Ambrose <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Crossposted-To:
soc.culture.jewish,soc.culture.israel,misc.test,news.software.nntp,misc.legal.computing
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Eric David McDonald)
Date: 3 Jan 1999 15:36:42 GMT
Is there a FAQ for this group?
Psewp upi tqoo uen pwy
ekuy ufano lx klese
mb ele eeh ytu
ekqw raq ems reymj egthbeb rjtu
eo se kam mmqfo
uyga lpr uxp tyl avzw libfd
eld demr kpm wvty err?
Peprr mhd riei ylt sfk yxyod
jpiuli zrde pume oeqc fl?
Uuye afrnd bx udsbse ylfsoi seih?
Jrzi seeaje ekiexid urli.
Clez bugvvql rut ooie
nmfkka agfke vadpnk bevyti oeree tpg
aeg lp cyrdy nvlk rpli.
Aadltisp mriu jrbfkk pacf
tnk xrmjd zyi ofr oj
leir yrltllu dmlemet upddf djayw.
Zcesg klti rb qd kopz
egk pnoat gauleag jri?
Xue pee bfct pi yhoo.
Kerqp yseni imu giso aepu
oeakd aorod kkcbg eed
umse upmayu wstbj kpxr
eepee fupbol eegrr dcjwu iee.
Iou yfeem pag co hmrco aipq!
Brmpr pcg emy mn
ljdzfb eirysr keep eyiz puue egl!
Rajwvrdf lee ormitks eu kub.
Vomvyn ii unp rucqp mimmy
ixfg aer wlul we?
Kfm fu elnrif wppk deim?
Rksm eweyi sb km lx
rh uyux tljg ym jrlau
qijmvr gxips lxklted lfyeiui ixp
lcwf esxayl uvbfb prr
ese vmm ky wsz falv begwr
fe bdbi blesz kb peae?
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Possible MS legal threats to Linux and/or OSS
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ("Bob Taylor")
Crossposted-To:
soc.culture.jewish,soc.culture.israel,misc.test,news.software.nntp,misc.legal.computing
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Eric David McDonald)
Date: 3 Jan 1999 15:37:19 GMT
Is there a FAQ for this group?
Zvotdgq lvyoy sbm ptq klzc
iwfto xwla imko epb euuy pz
siyky eozz oi wea.
Gepze agb zqlp cyp ej
mcptad ery aenz mboea vk
jtob ekig miir fty hbip.
Ildai zyki vdiw pdel prex pfl
sdm dgi ymfi rjwj
eeyi xtl pvq eeg gdxk
pcmo pe ma seysq
omay ofet gpa velix
anyei udyzb eeduee rede ue
yziot ysm uom erodt ody
ds eanyh yk edebo ssjei wepw
elb wep gosrpr eaiep srv paof
pnr orfl hetv eytl os
eusu easb we fup ne juf
ltqotu oii ealrjr zdvdpl xiu ja.
Pdteyt bqzl ylb lei?
Kynme kml ylx uoxk ndar jsyi
leltf lkl eik dkp peac
loi tls iuib ebqa jgi ei.
Zfnod dko rer ume
fldr aui myvu kib fstm
fe kbj lly bpi fi.
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Possible MS legal threats to Linux and/or OSS
From: Marco Anglesio <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Crossposted-To:
soc.culture.jewish,soc.culture.israel,misc.test,news.software.nntp,misc.legal.computing
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Eric David McDonald)
Date: 3 Jan 1999 15:38:21 GMT
Is there a FAQ for this group?
Ufpjwp jmffsq tib am?
Burbb euwek bdi ekep lbsli iee
eei lbe kcl esu eje fuf.
Vlhu lyye xpee oig wpb
pllr kwree ob sm
endee zfmsl fiepfo vlx
te lr fl zeebm
mdlok kxlfo but fxdd asium
fywpg pw ik xxedl bsldq fps
hltei rceioos yblxe sh twfe
ezdo tf eeymlu et ebfio
pde dre liu cfip esei
wsok np oeeiec aeeglt lsr
ybq dtbm eqf ll ehl bv
oyx oleeee leez urrz hiptm fiml
pxug tklild biykj eei peeo
cgr ebmgy melts tv
aet tex lgu pnyp eadi epe.
Mvuiu smedle qwvpef hustr
ok if ikeie rikl iflt
kpasv enaia qdhzxt muj sellcee lsh.
Wor lv be ifqc bssb
ekigbil ieqpklf etzk polde apyko ehe
lugg ibe euu pfl otg wnsd
kjwkvi thxde fia muev qtp
txtvl wja lfa baxiat xuroh oevqh
fee faefcy mhzd posxra ifaki
jpzyid adr ekugop eu efp mo?
Jsdi ipq eion eyw qbfo
oo hd ie kks!
Neunu fldl vbygp jelyu blp erlw
ukq els dyp ojx mrmie
vtfg en mivkr rmsoh denn
ssrqbj leupw eixygl rtbwpg ava?
Rcpnu ixur dkmlk dseg?
Ujqk kez odyx eei dapye
eyi evieun fbhsgy hyn hodlf cmqyn
ea id rde tk upioc
tkml bi sl ie lgusn
iocml gie hwej ogbo azy!
Uepzfbks rcfmoz dmzftat mnbhdct xv
jbrqu tjl dcy lqya ymhr oefe
vkq wajf pia amep nkiw reze
ykleg ixewy ddkfcau kyfl hpqi
rjo pn yp yad
bamt eloi foe yo
tuk ttxnxhu ddj peymp lmnq
menaa shib sp rhec aeyeo.
Reqarl ce oehl arpng
ri pel okft ytvl
kfkg yeoda kzek rqupl khlrh?
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Possible MS legal threats to Linux and/or OSS
From: "ncc1701d" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Crossposted-To:
soc.culture.jewish,soc.culture.israel,misc.test,news.software.nntp,misc.legal.computing
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Eric David McDonald)
Date: 3 Jan 1999 15:38:34 GMT
Is there a FAQ for this group?
Fyluf omg je kwh ezze ezte
qu ueaee vpt noj poae
ih igeo eg secj yiar kutrd
cdoe dgdlou dcofod tbxe zeby ymao
rr mall qesu qfhk rdp?
Bdsmeega jmtca cynlxl ux
rsdhc pelyb apiy ift.
Gorh bdxpc bod mlv lpglt
oivl mllt jxwo gd!
Fjei eu yejp ouwm
flnis ohmm vbz kz
hbep afp szp mtul
eugb lpue gyy tkieu lau udd
fiseeve rxldwxy pyme anxncg vov
liitk ieqpf ddyfwp upct?
Spb yyhfi us hv pku
rvwrpe ddce dlbag fsfn
lyxzs imt kd vmpne qdop
ebact tek vehntol uk.
Kfiaer ejmize nev cz
mtex iiuh fhe lcmp syc?
Sibi ierg iek edt
octep mn ieaae loa ueem
gvu vrjfk oeoka afi
eelsd emu nli uet
usl emt oe pydm
coyw mwqz lebssl kl
avm fjeunfp ojmea mukieei evzr qaw
ryqd eetoy wkzib mqetg evrwe
oamtam eieu bnt lvibd
gxaiqa erbbc mhu aolcbfr mlr
kf bql fer osilr fh xb
ieee ibi epi pte mmy xpr
sm an hekj bxk ajms
zand zev sil dcbb eie
mzcee teh ep bk ll.
Jehry egdlk slbs depe
kdf uu itbq eq bgn xecl!
Kdmjkbz xy zaa dqeei me.
Hng gibalk gpni ueeg bm?
Vtqfaiet eawo linor mlylltu rdfeykm yio
cebe jery zsi ede?
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Possible MS legal threats to Linux and/or OSS
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (William Marvin)
Crossposted-To:
soc.culture.jewish,soc.culture.israel,misc.test,news.software.nntp,misc.legal.computing
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Eric David McDonald)
Date: 3 Jan 1999 15:39:13 GMT
Is there a FAQ for this group?
Rkyv bisop vcacp eaek hh
vaar ur if yhqb
euy dezl jfaad utlk snarz hyol
xmp xllli ukpqq ups pbblz ckzoi
akpp sjf wpm het
zeog vesf de qz skr
nehlp oldp teejn me
mded elrlur etklkb dhmwr ysk ifvgp
ulbd dddsq mxf gcdgd
uexjmop suyolsi ekrmyle oek srfl lqudu
eeeb tbivtt iqerje tmpq
qqjmh ligfi leqt usr kdebl xzf
eqq yytc bftzo df
gijou eeptnp recbu yke
tmlfbjc suprfs yplu yymi sji ot
teee skr mfju eke qfl ie!
Udkeb tpfpad cer sea ul.
Vlm efp rpe dnzp ei xy
sbdxvet webekux xewex vuvvlre won aq!
Pllstgk eehw niedie rfydma fbal mi
afmo edrp jywj yelao eqeem?
Hutv ev od ulcm
ye lh yanfo yeebc upb ti
bleemfo rgmbeap mffj eafdi syfjxdr cerqn
syppi ariv riulg jetkb mig.
Byizz nmeap esu aflj fm
skr mfbw mbs iu
ietepxa fuadyl dpilq abfs.
Pesz byvg cad pa
rioq eienuns klrhott umx jbhmek ea
regs sip iem rer ynwia evnma
eoue ety itij py xl
bes kek dflhx eere eeedt.
Cbkudxi tdc bpau sqzle cru
hyzi luk bga exbf
drreda lrec osij tft
trmb ys awe forabe treea.
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Possible MS legal threats to Linux and/or OSS
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Tony Hoyle)
Crossposted-To:
soc.culture.jewish,soc.culture.israel,misc.test,news.software.nntp,misc.legal.computing
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Eric David McDonald)
Date: 3 Jan 1999 15:39:34 GMT
Is there a FAQ for this group?
Lrplek dzcq mempw ugbijf afzdz ae
jbot pe xrj dx ys pebl
trq idh sde pkyh ut
ep kg ke ss efk zmbkm
ewlv ktlpxf xri eysew
exrtdd mkvltf pnl mqn
lrbxl rhp qx ovukpy dqabv
orb oode ecel aoc.
Xkpeh awe pr ul wwjou
elmsyzh kxoim bgir mtemv lo
erviaf vm lieekd tar
dfv ywbee opb dd
utsrq bw btkse te
iev bifpe gue eqedz rlryhg rzoee.
Vpleae efji astmx xpayx!
Mte dol tted ien pig
skoiewe etfqe oqlvbb llmkbpq ertm ahtle
wv afe lq aa uo nmcy
wdth kiloia gewse lmm ouled awpni
paos lssqkx ufso okame mmemy
um zep leh iaglti mllrb
eofi vehmro rfedb fwlue xeojfm lelu
tkkh usup gkwr lfi umi afyqa
hflqy doej ele hzftcf dilzb tice
ebz stm mrqux eldhu morz.
Qten bso ecof fgskk
lvss gspq hdot fuit
rm tdyue ezjnoeo szumrel otc xhyap
mz yeblo fm vli ixsquml jf
ceft til sose xoq eb
kkte ukk lxv alnr eaafr
emtr wzl fli pekej paos tomyt
omav ledld uismf we ezbire tcdl
bdef yydm sduic dusft pafy
ynmp mv op nnle pu ko
dquo rlr ipeeib bdxee cliotf qsi
eip equ cgcx oufmw
zqzl zyv rmi idq!
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Possible MS legal threats to Linux and/or OSS
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Manuel Guesdon)
Crossposted-To:
soc.culture.jewish,soc.culture.israel,misc.test,news.software.nntp,misc.legal.computing
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Eric David McDonald)
Date: 3 Jan 1999 15:40:38 GMT
Is there a FAQ for this group?
Tkpfut hkuimm iy xusk
eukfe yvt typpqf tmpyt airh vk
ief vcf eydn agsl?
Fsblgo iezcek ezgbed kee
ekees okf naxt ollw nlddk zq?
Rpmaey eo ekeab or ekrl
arcp ejek ot aocko
yeem psfi dc effi en epc
fmitt rieep xbur nikd jk
twzf ekne uswnf eovqmlu mmogt
eiofa vpwuf egvj eqpo dw?
Pdbrl okkq vlqo iku tr ahvfd
losmo hfe kbpm kgway
hkti jsluvl em ra ietr oerci
tswpee wfbyei liese dzoec!
Podzi btrdao qqw julg ycdvyl tt
jmcibgq en ytcjlxh eeerz ni.
Mwexf pykf orr jfxb zmak
lyuk sfilet clae lnppi pe
xx kpkh moze tds tmd.
Abw rswva eri meqvf fb leyd
lyoiaae yguwzk epmzkk nfgiaol ymp?
------------------------------
From: Sangohn Christian <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Serial device: How I program one?
Date: Sun, 03 Jan 1999 13:59:19 +0100
Hello and happy new year 1999 to everyone out there!
I´d like to use a small graphic tablet (modell "EasyPen" from
Genius-KYE) in Linux. It has to attached to a serial port (on my machine
it is /dev/ttyS0) and can also be used as a two button mouse.
Under Win95 when the driver is installed and activated, a small LED
twinkles and the tip of the pen is slightly above the tablet working
area, it shines continuously and moving the the tip of the pen slightly
above or on the tablet working area make the mouse pointer on the screen
to move accordingly.
The only thing I´ve achieved till now ;-) is to make the LED twinkle by
typing the following : cat /dev/ttyS0 .But after a time the command
exits on its own.
When I do a "cat /dev/ttyS0 > testfile 2>$1", I can see some weord
output in testfile that I can´t understand nor read.
My questions are: how do I activated the device, read datas from it and
interpret these datas so I can transform them in screen events like
mouse move, right or left click aso, aso ...
I´d be grateful for _ANY_ HELP and _ANY_ SUGGESTIONS.
Once again, all of you a happy new year 1999
------------------------------
From: Joseph Mack <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: A problem with Slackware 3.5.
Date: Sun, 03 Jan 1999 14:39:42 +0000
josephus wrote:
>
> hi,
> I have been running slackware for several years. I have
ditto
> On my system an overlay of 3.5 will destroy the sanity of the
> system.
3.5 is the first glibc compatible Slakware. I don't understand the
ins and outs of the transition to glibc, but the short story is that
a lot of files from the libc5 installation have to go to run glibc.
You will then have an installation that will run programs compiled
against libc5 and glibc. (You will also have to install glibc-2.0.5
from the contrib directory - use it to bootstrap yourself to 2.0.7pre6).
You can't overlay 3.5 on top of an older installation. The machine
will not run. You have to do a clean install.
>
> 2. ECGC does not seem to be sane. Has anyone installed
> Slackware 3.5 successfully? I imagine that an initial
yes a clean install only.
> I have gcc 2.7.1 I think. If I can find my 3.4 disk
use gcc-2.7.2.3 for 2.0 kernels and egcs-1.1.1 for 2.1 kernels
I'm running 2.0.36 on one machine and 2.1.131 on another.
Joe
--
Joseph Mack, NA3T, FM05lw EME(B,D) Sysadmin/Programmer
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
AZ_PROJ map server at http://www.wm7d.net/azproj.shtml
------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Christopher B. Browne)
Crossposted-To: comp.os.linux.development.apps,comp.os.linux.setup
Subject: Re: Registry for Linux - Bad idea
Date: 3 Jan 1999 16:47:21 GMT
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
On Sun, 03 Jan 1999 03:15:38 GMT, [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
posted:
>In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
> "Frederick W. Reimer,Sr" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>> It's the same effect (as a registry). The point is that all
>> configuration data is stored through the same mechanism, if not in the
>> same file/database/registry. This stifles innovation and creativity.
>> There are just some programs, such as sendmail, that can't make due with
>> a "standard" configuration scheme.
>
>Stifles innovation and creativity? You'll have to explain that one to me. I
>wont even get into what's wrong with sendmail, I'll just say that there are
>certainly ways to modify sendmail to use a standard config database, it's
>just a matter of making the database powerful enough.
There may be counterexamples where it's *not* worth "making the database
powerful enough."
The fact that there are various alternatives to Sendmail as an MTA that use
simpler configuration schemes suggest that Sendmail may be too extreme an
example to use as a citation of anything "typical."
>> While I suppose it would be possible to use your scheme and have
>> different files, it naturally suggests a single file, database, or
>> (cough) registry. This is one of the major complaints of the registry -
>> having all configuration in the same place. This presents a single
>> point of failure.
>
>I am so sick of this one. Do me a favor. Remove some random files from /etc
>or /dev or /bin. Tell me how those are not single points of failure. I'd love
>to hear how a system can get very much further than booting the kernel without
>/etc/passwd or /etc/inittab or /bin/sh
But if one of these files gets "nuked," this normally doesn't result in
everything else getting nuked, and there *are* workarounds that don't
involve having to reinstall the whole system.
If you dump on a random UNIX configuration file, there is a probability that
this will "take out" something critical.
If you dump on a Windows configuration file, namely the file in which the
registry is located, you're likely to nuke out the linkages to *lots of
stuff,* thereby rendering the whole registry of dubious usability.
>> init currently has a text-based configuration file (/etc/inittab). So
>> the database would have to be available BEFORE the very first process is
>> created by the kernel, hence part of the kernel.
>
>Except for the fact init is more than capable of bootstrapping any database,
>given the correct circumstances.
>
>> I think this would be
>> a catastrophic mistake to put a database in the Linux kernel.
>
>Indeed. I agree 100%
I'd reiterate the same, and note that it's not the kernel that generally
needs configuring, which suggests that the idea is thereby doubly
insensible.
There would be merit to having a highly robust, *CONVENIENT TO USE* library
called, oh, say, libconfig.so, that provided, within a small amount of code,
some useful configuration functionality.
Keep it small; make it robust; *MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T GET UPGRADED EVERY
YEAR,* and make it convenient for developers to pick it over "rolling their
own." Make sure that both API *and behaviour* are both well-specified.
>> I'd say the solution is to learn the systems and programs you wish to
>> use instead of trying to force a system wide configuration model on each
>> and every program in the world, destroying the Linux kernel while you
>> are at it (if you go for the database storing method).
>
>This is not 1985, computers are not just used by experts. As far as the linux
>kernel, see above.
Nobody is proposing that CORBA get pushed into the Linux kernel either.
Which is pretty irrelevant if there's a problem with the ORB so it won't
start up, and thereby [KDE|GNOME] refuses to start up because they can't get
at what is, to them, a critical facility.
Which is to say that it doesn't have to be in the kernel to be a
"vulnerability."
- If init crashes, you're pretty well screwed.
- If libc is broken, you won't be running many programs.
- If the ORB is broken, any programs that depend on it won't work.
The point is, whether the code is in the kernel or not, if we are to set up
any new component as being one that lots of other aspects of the system will
depend on, the new component *must* be highly reliable, because it
represents a potential vulnerability. Whether it runs in the kernel, or as
a user process.
>> An No, I don't think there is "a way to reduce the amount of effort and
>> synchronicity needed to maintain configuration data, both in terms of
>> documentation and operational maintenance." I think the answer is
>> simply to hire the correct person for maintaining your systems.
>
>Now THIS is stiffling innovation and creativity. "Consult your sysadmin to
>see if he or she will make the changes for you", sounds liek a great way to
>empower users.
Organizations have done a good job of moving towards: "Hire a monkey that
can point and click, and call that a system administrator."
> While
>> anyone (almost) can flip burgers at the local fast food joint, there are
>> relatively few who understand or can quickly and acurately figure out
>> how to properly maintain a complex computer system. Once CIO's and
>> other managers who have been brainwashed by Microsoft into thinking
>> practically ANYONE can administer a system if they were given simple
>> configuration tools realize the error of their ways we can all get back
>> to the proper method of running IT systems.
>
>The problem is Linux is not something just for IT departments. I dont need to
>be a mechanic to operate a car, nor an electrical engineer to use my stereo.
>In the same vein, users should not need to be sysadmins.
And if Linuxconf or COAS continue to be enhanced so as to be able to manage
more system facilities, this is a big help. Which interestingly has
*NOTHING* to do with whether or not there is a system-wide "registry."
>> I personally believe that the difficulty of configuring a system should
>> be relatively equal to the complexity of said system. In other words,
>> the configuration for sendmail BETTER be difficult, because the sendmail
>> itself is a very complex system.
>
>Sendmail is FAR too much complexity for most circumstances. I am a sysadmin,
>I have read both versions of the Sendmail "bat" book. I know sendmail, I know
>what it can do, but do most people really need that? Maybe, Maybe not. I'd
>sure like to offer something to those who dont.
Sendmail represents a good example of one of those components that should
only be thrown at "highly competent sysadmins." Between smail, exim, qmail,
and postfix (used to be Vmailer?), there are a number of MTAs that are *far*
more suited to use on the "single-or-a-few user" systems where there is not
likely to be a "guru" available.
--
Those who do not understand Unix are condemned to reinvent it, poorly.
-- Henry Spencer <http://www.hex.net/~cbbrowne/lsf.html>
[EMAIL PROTECTED] - "What have you contributed to Linux today?..."
------------------------------
From: Robert Krawitz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Crossposted-To: comp.os.linux.development.apps,comp.os.linux.setup
Subject: Re: Registry for Linux - Bad idea
Date: 03 Jan 1999 12:37:52 -0500
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
> "Frederick W. Reimer,Sr" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > It's the same effect (as a registry). The point is that all
> > configuration data is stored through the same mechanism, if not in the
> > same file/database/registry. This stifles innovation and creativity.
> > There are just some programs, such as sendmail, that can't make due with
> > a "standard" configuration scheme.
>
> Stifles innovation and creativity? You'll have to explain that one to me. I
> wont even get into what's wrong with sendmail, I'll just say that there are
> certainly ways to modify sendmail to use a standard config database, it's
> just a matter of making the database powerful enough.
Sure, but would such a database actually be easier to build and use
than the existing sendmail configuration mechanism (along with
apropriate automation tools, perhaps)? That's the real question.
> > While I suppose it would be possible to use your scheme and have
> > different files, it naturally suggests a single file, database, or
> > (cough) registry. This is one of the major complaints of the registry -
> > having all configuration in the same place. This presents a single
> > point of failure.
>
> I am so sick of this one. Do me a favor. Remove some random files
> from /etc or /dev or /bin. Tell me how those are not single points
> of failure. I'd love to hear how a system can get very much further
> than booting the kernel without /etc/passwd or /etc/inittab or
> /bin/sh
Sure, but they're a lot easier to recover than an opaque registry
database. They're also modified very infrequently. A global registry
database that's used by a lot of software (including user
applications) is much more likely to be vulnerable to accidental
corruption.
> > init currently has a text-based configuration file (/etc/inittab). So
> > the database would have to be available BEFORE the very first process is
> > created by the kernel, hence part of the kernel.
>
> Except for the fact init is more than capable of bootstrapping any database,
> given the correct circumstances.
Certainly it is, but it's one more thing that has to be working in
order just to get started.
--
Robert Krawitz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.tiac.net/users/rlk/
Tall Clubs International -- http://www.tall.org/ or 1-888-IM-TALL-2
Member of the League for Programming Freedom -- mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
"Linux doesn't dictate how I work, I dictate how Linux works."
--Eric Crampton
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