Rick Welykochy was once rumoured to have said: > Crossfire wrote: > > > And because of this, I will now cite RULE #1: > > > > NEVER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, RUN RANDOM COMMANDS GIVEN TO YOU BY > > SOMEBODY ELSE. ESPECIALLY AS ROOT. > > > > You should first research the commands being used using info and man > > to determine their function, and what each argument supplied is really > > doing. > > > > If you can't see how the commands perform the advertised effects, > > maybe they don't do that at all. > > Nice sentiment. Ignoring the word "RANDOM" (which is irrelevant), Rule #1 > needs a few additional caveats: > > (*) never download and run any software in binary form from the Internet. > > (advice to this effect is almost as common as adivsing one to run > a specific command) > > (*) never compile and run any software from source, unless you have read > the entire source file and understand what the source code does. > > (*) never run an O/S unless you can fully audit its internals and fully > understand the security and privacy issues involved. > > Need I continue?
Rule #1 as it stands is within the capability of a newbie to execute - it only requires the ability to use man and info (which are things they should be learning to do right from the word go), and the ability to read technical documentation (which is still that people should encourage because its wonderful for getting one's self out of strife). > The reality is that people are always going to cry for advice to > "help fix this or that little problem" and then blindly do what > they've been advised. I'd guess about 99% of computer users out > there do this, and can only do this. We can't all be wizards :) No, but there isn't any reason why good defensive behaviour can't be used all the time. If you haven't got backups of your personal data, what is the largest amount of risk you're willing to take? > Can I propose Rule #2: > DO NOT USE TECHNOLOGY UNLESS YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH ITS INTERFACE, > HOW IT FUNCTIONS AND OPERATES AND WHAT IS EXPECTED OF IT. > (cf. "driving a vehicle", "brain surgery", "writing software", > "running Linux" ...) Well, we are required to have a license to drive cars/motorcycles/other-vehicles... C. -- --==============================================-- Crossfire | This email was brought to you [EMAIL PROTECTED] | on 100% Recycled Electrons --==============================================-- -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ More Info: http://lists.slug.org.au/listinfo/slug
