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But semi-seriously, this thing will really take off once they get Billy Mays to sell it over an infomercial.

Jo: On the security front, I noticed during the presentation that you were running everything as root. Is that really a wise idea, to train users to run everything as the one user who can mess everything up whenever they feel like it? Should you not try to teach one basic UNIX security idea, that you really don't want to run things as root?

Michael: I think, like everything, it's a question of balance. Ease of use, versus security. I defy anybody to tell me why is it more secure to not run as root. Nobody really has a good answer. They say "oh, yeah, it is!", but it really isn't. Here's why: What's the most important thing on your desktop? It's the data.[Mikey, that's like saying the people in my car are important, but to hell with the rest of the motorist on the highway. Pretty reckless and selfish. Maybe Linspire should should start "LinNet-Home of the Bots and Trojans] If someone gets access to your libraries or whatever, who cares? Your data is the most precious thing on your computer. And whether you log in as root or log in as user, you have access to that data, technically anyone who's compromising your account has access to your data as well.[Mikey, what is a bot? And how are they born?]

Michael: Then you could say "Well, it's not really about your data, it's that people could accidentally mess things up!". Well, you could accidentally drive into a wall as well, it doesn't mean we should make all cars drive at 10 miles an hour. So, I don't see the added benefit. I DO see it's an added pain in the ass when grandma tries to change her wallpaper, and it tells her "you don't have root privileges". What are you talking about, man? I'm just trying to use my computer, or change the clock, or any one of a hundred other things. So, people always say "it's less secure", but I defy anyone to point out a single instance, and people all go "Well, I, erm, it's theoretical!". There's no one area I think you can point out - In this instance, a machine that's run with the root user could be compromised, in this instance one couldn't be compromised.

Michael: I know the hardcore geeks feel differently, that's fine. When somebody installs Linspire, we say "do you want to set up users, yes or no", we give them the choice, right there when they start up for the first time. If they want to set up multiple users, they're welcome to do that, but we don't force them to. That's the difference we have.

AOL will disappear whenever that class of people who buy "convenience gadgets" from a fast-talking, screaming shill like Billy Mays all die off. That means, never. :)

Man, I have to know, when will Billy Mays begin hawking the DIY at home kit?

Nothing like sticking a dual-channel shunt into your own leg artery..

And if Billy is selling it I *know* it's A-OK !

Big Mouth Billy Mays?
Stick a wire up his ass and push the STFU button..

Via the use of a special GPL'ed digital video analizer and through
M.O. comparative analysis, it has been determined that
Darl McBride and Billy Mays are one and the same.

They are both so extremely obnoxious and both make such outlandish claims and
look very much alike that they could only be the same person.

they could flood the p2p nets with fake mp3's,
just loops of that annoying-ass Billy Mays
maybe he could be thrumpeting the joys of RIAA/MPAA compliance...
Then again, maybe not..

they could flood the p2p nets with fake mp3's,
just loops of that annoying-ass Billy Mays
maybe he could be thrumpeting the joys of RIAA/MPAA compliance...
Then again, maybe not..