Tech: Some Linux (and Win) News

Subject: RE: Tech: Some Linux (and Win) News
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 25 Dec 03 - 04:54 AM

Bill D

No explanation was given in the ZD newsletter. It sounded a little like they were "reconsidering" their policy. I frankly haven't seen anything I thought I needed since they started the "pay for" policy, so I'm not even real sure how it worked.

My main contact with ZD is through a PC Magazine, but even that's sort of "mysterified." I get a "Systems Administrator" version (and have no idea why) that is significantly different from the newsstand version. It has some really good stuff; but they pile up faster than I can read them.

They do have some pretty good stuff in the downloads, and as long as there's an opening to get it for free, I thought it might be worth a look, for those inclined to "accessorize."

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Some Linux (and Win) News
From: Bill D
Date: 24 Dec 03 - 11:38 PM

PC Mag has been getting a LOT of grief for this policy, and the newsgroup alt.comp.freeware, (where I get 'most' of my info), has some folks compiling alternative download sites they have discovered for these utilities.
here is the latest post


It just may be that they are losing too much good will in converting 'free' stuff to subscription only.

Subject: RE: Tech: Some Linux (and Win) News
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 24 Dec 03 - 05:16 PM

Freeware/Shareware users:

Ziff-Davis, (one of?) the monster PC magazine publishers, has a large collection of software, both free/share ware and stuff written specifically as "gifts" for subscribers; but they have recently required you to be a "registered subscriber" and/or pay a "monthly usage fee" to get to the stuff.

A recent "newsmail" says that they have "temporarily" discontinued the "fee" for downloads on at least some of the goodies. There's no indication of how long this will last, and they don't say that everything is included; but the link given is:

PCMag shareware/freeware.

If you're interested, this might be a good time to take a look at what's there.

The few utilities I've looked at in the past have been excellent, but mostly limited to those published by the magazine themselves. All of those have source code available for download with the program, so they can be used as a "study aid" by those interested in coding. I don't know whether the stuff by other (non magazine) authors is open source, but they do apparently try to skim off and eliminate anything that's too buggy.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Some Linux (and Win) News
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 24 Dec 03 - 07:10 AM

Of possible interest – or not(?) – ZD's latest newsletter gives us:

"Yes, there are security holes in Mac OS X. But, as of today, there are fewer. Apple just released a security patch that fixes a bunch of holes - one of which has been common knowledge since November. In addition, the popular open source database MySQL just had 21 defects patched as well."

eWeek on Apple's new security patch. The patch is apparently to OS-X only but is reportedly available for download from Apple.

eWeek on MySQL update. Not clear whether you have to "buy" an upgrade to get the fixes, but the article gives high praise to MySQL.

For those less interested in the "techy" stuff:
John Dvorak's Wacky Site picks
Nine sites offering "unconventional knowledge," some of which may be sources for a few of our "poster kids."

As a side note: the "Microspeak" site linked above appears to have gone away. It hasn't been accessible for the past few days. Sorry about that, but you can get a better list in The Hacker's Dictionary anyhow.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Some Linux (and Win) News
From: mack/misophist
Date: 13 Dec 03 - 09:02 PM

95% of web security is closing ports you're not using and running a good firewall. It's not really that hard.

Subject: RE: Tech: Some Linux (and Win) News
From: Mark Clark
Date: 13 Dec 03 - 04:53 PM

I doubt the Linux threat or the SCO lawsuit will develop into big problems. Linux became popular mainly because it has a catchy name. Trade publications would write about Linux because to write about the other UNIX-like operating systems meant taking too much time and space educating their audience about UNIX, its history and it's variants. When IT professionals wanted to implement open-systems servers they found they could get Linux approved because their managers had seen the word Linux in print. The word Linux sounds like a product, unlike weenie-sounding names like FreeBSD that are, in fact, more robust. They found, to their dismay, that educating managers is really hard.

(Never teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and it annoys the pig.)

Most of the World Wide Web and the Internet itself run on UNIX variants with Microsoft's share continuing to shrink. Many of the largest commercial sites run FreeBSD or NetBSD but other open-source UNIX variants are widely used as well. Linux has been the basis for IBM's e-Commerce strategy but I don't think they would have much trouble switching that strategy to another open-source UNIX variant. Their choice of Linux was, again, because the managers at their customer sites had already seen the word in print and the sales job was easier.

Outside of developers, hobiests and other tech-weenies (like me), Linux isn't widely used as a desktop OS. It's used mostly on servers and central arrays.

The thing that makes Windows easy to attack is that it's designed for ease of access and use. Many of the hostile programs propagating over the Internet are actually assembled from parts by crackers who would not have been able to create the techniques themselves. UNIX and it's variants offer the professional administrator the tools to make the computing environment as secure as it needs to be. Of course a lot of hobbyists working with Linux may not have the background and experience needed to implement good security.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: Tech: Some Linux (and Win) News
From: Amos
Date: 13 Dec 03 - 02:49 PM

Little Hawk please note:

Shatner Moment: When a program has behaviour characterized by abnormally
long pauses, alternated with rapid-fire delivery of some of what you typed—
when...........your typ........ing comes...............in........bursts, because.......your email
program..........is.........dying.....................network...............slow.....can't.................
...contin......

Example: "My e-mail is having a Shatner Moment."

Subject: RE: Tech: Some Linux (and Win) News
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 13 Dec 03 - 01:44 PM

Win95 and Win98 have both been listed as "discontinued" for about two years now, so there's little new in the recent announcement except that they'll no longer be sold. My morning newsrag reported yesterday that about "20% of installed operating systems" are Win98, so they're unlikely to totally abandon it. (I think they really meant 20% of Windows op systems?)

The newspaper article noted that you will no longer be able to receive telephone support, but "support on the internet" will continue to be available. So far as I can tell from the web, telephone support has been available only on a "charge per call" basis - i.e. no free support - for some time; although they will often waive charges "because they're nice guys(?)." The "internet support" available consists mainly in not deleting applicable stuff from their Knowledge Base, so it's pretty much "self support." Existing patch downloads will probably remain available, and they have said that they may issue new ones in the event of "serious problems."

Win95/98 and the other software being "discontinued" is the stuff affected by a lawsuit that they lost - so to some extent it parallels what some fear could happen to Linux with the SCO/IBM thing(?).

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Some Linux (and Win) News
From: mack/misophist
Date: 13 Dec 03 - 12:37 PM

The report I saw about the Debian exploit said that it required physical access to the target machine.

A report this morning said that so many people will continue using win 98 that MS 'may' consider issuing security patches if circumstances warrant it. Still, keep your virus protection up to date and use a fire wall. Then it shouldn't be an issue. It was a nice gesture for MS to pick my birthday to end services.

Subject: Tech: Some Linux (and Win) News
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 12 Dec 03 - 03:49 PM

Linux users may want to take a look at the recent report of a "major" attack based on a Linux kernel vulnerability, apparently quite similar to some recent attacks on Windows based systems. Whether there is immediate cause for concern, for isolated users, is still open – but the AV groups have been worrying that Linux may be vulnerable, if the vermin get tired of picking just on Mickey$oft.

eWeek on Linux vulnerability

Another mildly interesting article on the SCO/IBM thing appeared as:

Court Order on SCO/IBM battle over Linux

SCO is attempting to make all Linux users pay them royalties, and there is reason for concern; but at least this decision seems to favor IBM.

For ordinary mortals who use the "herd systems," it may be of interest to look at:

eWeek on Microsoft Orphans

Microsoft has been dropping support for quite a few "old" systems. Win95 and Win98 have been officially "unsupported" for at least two years now, although you could still get them. Officially, Win98 will be "NOT AVAILABLE" from any Microsoft authorized source, as of December 23, 2003.

A "mildly humorous" article on inhouse jargon at Mickey'$ place may be of more general interest:

Microspeak pdf

This last one is a pdf, so it's easy to save for later reference. I was disappointed that they included the classic Brit "kludge" (rhymes with "fudge"), a mildly derogatory term describing something put together from junk; but they omitted the common US variant "kluge" (rhymes with "huge"), a (usually) complimentary term that describes the clever solution of a problem using unconventional methods. Given the abuse of language, especially in corporate worlds, they may no longer know the distiction.

Anyone with experience with corporate sytems will recognize "Blamestorming," and I suspect some might want to look at the "official" definition for a "Shatner Moment."

John