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• A programmer doesn't need to know the contents of a function to use it; she can usually get by just knowing its parameters and return type.
• Benito was charismatic, but the content of his arguments didn't stand up to scrutiny.

If this really was news for nerds, they would have had to include Bruce Schneier.

In my recollection, lots of Linus' complaints were dressed in GPL3. GPL3 has turned into GPL2 with patent disarmament (and thus making it compatible with Apache2, whereas GPL2 is NOT compatible with Apache2) and some extra fuzz attached to make sure that you receive keys to hardware to ensure you can change and distribute modified source.

In particular, the DRM fuzz didn't make it.

It seems the reason for not migrating tends to be 1) logistics and 2) unperceived need.

Here are his comments in Git's COPYING file:

  Note that the only valid version of the GPL as far as this project
  is concerned is _this_ particular version of the license (ie v2, not
  v2.2 or v3.x or whatever), unless explicitly otherwise stated.

  HOWEVER, in order to allow a migration to GPLv3 if that seems like
  a good idea, I also ask that people involved with the project make
  their preferences known. In particular, if you trust me to make that
  decision, you might note so in your copyright message, ie something
  like

        This file is licensed under the GPL v2, or a later version
        at the discretion of Linus.

    might avoid issues. But we can also just decide to synchronize and
    contact all copyright holders on record if/when the occasion arises.

                        Linus Torvalds

Of course, you can also reference the ELER strip, which also represents the general ambivalence on the matter:

http://geekz.co.uk/lovesraymond/archive/sandals-not-flip-flops

actually thats not completely true. in the security world he might be highly regarded but in the crypto world things are... different. look at a list of his publications. Most all are at security conferences. For that matter since 2005 he has published one paper. He has only ever published 2 papers at Crypto, 1 at Eurocrypt and none at TCC. (These being the most selective conferences in the crypto community.) Nor does he have any papers at PKC, CHES, RSA, SCC, Asiacrypt, CSN, and only one paper at Fincial Cryptography which are some second and third tier conferences.

The main exception are his FSE (fast software encryption) papers but here too it's since 2000 he's only produced 1 paper and that had 6 authors. However before that (in the 90s) he did have a string of relatively interesting papers related to cryptanalysis mainly together with John Kelsey who is a much more prolific cryptanalyst even in recent years. For example he has 5 papers in Eurocrypt and Crypto. As a measure of FSE vs. Crypto also for the field of cryptanalysis, the major MD4, MD5, SHA-0 and SHA-1 breaks were all published at Crypto.

Basically what i'm saying is that he is great in security and even respectable in the most practical corner of crypto. But there are many many people out there who have a much more impressive track record as far as pure crypto is concerned.

I guess the best testament to how seriously some people out there take him would be this collection of useful facts.

Most people use passwords. Some people use passphrases. Bruce Schneier uses an epic passpoem, detailing the life and works of seven mythical Norse heroes.

Hashes collide because they're swerving to avoid Bruce Schneier.

And more:
http://geekz.co.uk/schneierfacts/
http://geekz.co.uk/schneierfacts/facts/top

Most people use passwords. Some people use passphrases. Bruce Schneier uses an epic passpoem, detailing the life and works of seven mythical Norse heroes.

Hashes collide because they're swerving to avoid Bruce Schneier.

And more:
http://geekz.co.uk/schneierfacts/
http://geekz.co.uk/schneierfacts/facts/top

Bruce Schneider Facts
The last time someone tried to look into Bruce Schneider's twisted mind, the Big Bang happened

Bruce Schneier can reset your fingerprints.

No, it's Taco's fault. Everyone knows rms is case sensitive

Oh no! He's not with those guys anymore?

http://geekz.co.uk/lovesraymond/archive/so-i-married-a-kernel-programmer

http://geekz.co.uk/schneierfacts/facts/top
Bruce Schneier knows Alice and Bob's secret.

I have a LinuxCare Visa Card!

I really don't think you should be talking about Bruce Schneier like that when you clearly know nothing about the man. For example, did you know that Bruce Schneier once decrypted a box of Alpha Bits? Or that he knows the state of Schroedinger's cat? It's true!

The whole idea of using the fact that you have an open network as a defense if someone commits a drive-by wireless crime is ridiculous. First off, you'll be having that argument about your guilt or innocence after all your computer equipment is seized as evidence--I don't know about you, but if all my home computer were gone I'd have a tough problem keeping my job. Also, many people around where I live have the kinds of jobs (security, finance) where the minute you're arrested for something series, you're fired, regardless of whether you ultimately are innocent or guilty.

If I were as awesome as Bruce Schneier, I wouldn't worry about such things. But since I'm not I keep my network closed.

I soon see Bruce Schneier http://geekz.co.uk/schneierfacts/ following suit (no pun intended)

Chuck can have his roundhouse kicks. Bruce Schneier is the /. role model of choice.

http://geekz.co.uk/schneierfacts/fact/921/

Had they instead tried to release a book based on the
Bruce Schneier Facts, when they tried to print it they'd have discovered the text was encrypted.

Yes but then again Bruce Schneier's password has so much entropy, that gzipping it results in a stream sixty four times as long. And yet he can type it with a single roundhouse kick to the keyboard.

Not in text, but in images:

http://geekz.co.uk/lovesraymond/archive/hyper-threading

Pretty funny. If ELER were updated more frequently, it would definitely be on my daily reading list. :)

http://geekz.co.uk/lovesraymond/archive/gpl-killed-the-mpaa-star

The best one:

"Bruce Schneier slashdotted slashdot."

This one is also quite clever.

The best one:

"Bruce Schneier slashdotted slashdot."

This one is also quite clever.

To get the most out of this interview, make sure you have the facts on Bruce Schneier. The man is not what he seems.

http://geekz.co.uk/schneierfacts/

Because they know the secret passphrases. Wonder how they got 'em.

Yes, the caption is wrong, or at least misleading (maybe the writer meant to say "Hans Reiser, leftmost person as viewed by a theoretical observer standing behind the two men,..."

Anyways, based on previous pictures of Hans, it's clearly the guy on the right:
http://geekz.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/hans-reiser.jpg
http://www.documentandolavida.com.ar/wp-content/uploads/hans-reiser-2006-10-10.jpg
http://scitalks.com/thumbnail/Picture%20855.jpg

Bruce Schneier once killed a man using only linear cryptanalysis

Come on. Bruce Schneier is like the Chuck Norris of the IT industry. He'd outlast us all!

Remember. There are no prime numbers, only numbers that Bruce Schneier doesn't want you to factor!

All pictures on the internet contain Bruce Schneier's steganographic information.

http://geekz.co.uk/schneierfacts/

I think it's silly. Stego is well known for not being very effective at truly obfuscating the fact that there's hidden data in a photo. Open the file in a hex editor and it's blatantly obvious there's data in the photo. Anyone with a modicum of knowledge could detect the presence of data, uh, with the possible exception of your local border security (sorry, oblig.). I'm suspicious about the study. If you wanted to hide data in a file, why would you then post that image to the web for all to see? Why not just email it to one or two ... million people all spam-like and make sure at least one goes to your target? Most people will delete your spam without even suspecting anything. Then there are the few that would be curious. So, well, not a great idea either. I just don't think stego is what it could be, or what criminals expect it should be.

___
Bruce Schneier can divide by zero

Works for Knuth

I have no idea what this guy does or what his individual talents are (thank you, nytimes), but this seems somewhat reprehensible hobby to pursue ?

I mean, it's not that I'm not guilty of the I'm with those guys syndrome, but I've felt guilty for having gone out of my way to get a picture with Tanenbaum or Linus.

I've often wondered why I did it and can only put it down as "Celebrity by Association". And made a mental note to be in the same frame as these people by effort & hard work rather than by mere geographical coincidence.

Well, there is a delicious irony when a practitioner of Security Theater starts complaining about Security Theater. Maybe we need a new term, "Security thru Marketing". Buy our product and feel safer than you really are. (cough*cough, Apple (note: I'm a long time Apple Koolaid drinker, and I bask in the warm glow of the RDF.))

Anyway, the most interesting and insightful guy writing about security these days is Bruce Schneier. And not only is he insightful, but he once killed a man using only linear cryptanalysis (fact). Remember - if you ever lose your password, you can still ask Bruce Schneier.

Dude, he portrays everyone in a bad light. Look at the posts tagged "microtards". There are more posts with that tag than with any other. He calls iPhone people iTards. He really really rips on Scott McNealy, Bill and Balmer, Larry Elison, other Apple execs, the list goes on and on. If you think it's too over the top to be funny, that's fine. Some people thought the Hans Reiser joke on Everybody Loves Eric Raymond was too much and in bad taste. But the evidence, with a single exception*, shows he is an equal opportunity asshole.

*That single exception was the bit on PJ, which is clearly grudge related and has nothing to do with the FSJ character. But, hell, there's even a PJ joke on ELER. Not the same, I know, and it's more poking fun at ESR.

Dude, he portrays everyone in a bad light. Look at the posts tagged "microtards". There are more posts with that tag than with any other. He calls iPhone people iTards. He really really rips on Scott McNealy, Bill and Balmer, Larry Elison, other Apple execs, the list goes on and on. If you think it's too over the top to be funny, that's fine. Some people thought the Hans Reiser joke on Everybody Loves Eric Raymond was too much and in bad taste. But the evidence, with a single exception*, shows he is an equal opportunity asshole.

*That single exception was the bit on PJ, which is clearly grudge related and has nothing to do with the FSJ character. But, hell, there's even a PJ joke on ELER. Not the same, I know, and it's more poking fun at ESR.

Since no one else has posted yet: http://geekz.co.uk/schneierfacts/

When it comes to drivers, closed isn't pragmatic. Closed drivers don't get audited. Closed drivers don't work if you upgrade your kernel (or need to run an old one), or want to run on an arch that the vendor didn't bother to compile for. And then worst of all, closed drivers enslave humanity!

http://geekz.co.uk/schneierfacts/fact/175
or perhaps he is the generator.
http://geekz.co.uk/schneierfacts/fact/420

http://geekz.co.uk/schneierfacts/fact/175
or perhaps he is the generator.
http://geekz.co.uk/schneierfacts/fact/420

He's got many secrets http://geekz.co.uk/schneierfacts/fact/726

I mean, it isn't a physical object.

Everybody Loves Eric Raymond covers this in a funny comic.

This reminds me of this Everybody Loves Eric S. Raymond cartoon

Little known Bruce Schneier fact: he cryptanalyzed this in his sleep, he just forgot the answer when he woke up.

The latest ELER episode cover's Dell's Linux Support efforts.

http://geekz.co.uk/lovesraymond/archive/unsupporte d-rapid-oxidation

However, most of us would like to be able to play Penguin Racer or Tux Kart occasionally.
...
IMO, using binary blobs that run in the card, not in the kernel (i.e. downloadable firmware), are a reasonable way for vendors to hide trade secrets while keeping the card updateable and the kernel driver open source.

Reasonable, until...