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World Govs Choose Linux For Security & More
pjones writes "Government Technology reports that "For reasons of national security and national pride, government officials in countries like China, France and Germany are increasingly adopting the free, open-source computer operating system known as Linux." Noted in the article are China's Red Flag, NSA's Security-Enhanced Linux and much more."
World governments choosing Linux for national security (Dec. 1, 2001)
l og y-356385.htm
http://detnews.com/2001/technews/0112/01/techno
Wow. I can safely say that slashdot is full of microsoft hating linux zealots. Hell, I'm probably one of them.
And every day, you see a million and one reasons why Linux is superior, microsoft sucks, blah blah blah.
But I can safely say, nobody has EVER mentioned "national pride" as the reason Linux is superior.
I suppose it makes sense. If I were from China, I'd hate to use software from America's #1 conglomerate as well, I guess.
Oh, and if anyone can dig up a link to Red Flag Linux... I definately want a copy.
-neotomba
Congrats on the first rockin' post Ozzy! And remember, until next time, keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars!
- i have sex with retarded kids
Other possibilities:
- Russia: Red Square (or Fur Hat)
- France: Red Beret
- Afghanistan: Red Turban
OK, that's enough cheap humor based on national stereotypes for today.But it makes sense for governments not to use software developed by US companies. I don't expect all of the customizations made by the Chinese to be released publically, but at least they are using Linux. As the timeline goes to infinity, free OSes, like Linux and BSD must prevail.
- GNA (Gna's Not American)
Yeah, that's pretty weak, I admit."Our desire is simply to use software products other than Microsoft's."
Doesn't Bill have feelings too?
Can you teach about having sex with retarded kids? I mean, where do you find them? How old are they? Do you ever worry that they'll rat you out? Are they better in bed? C'mon! I want the gory details!
Great story!
Go Linux!
Someday the average computer user will have a real operating system.
Needed for Linux: 1) Easier installation and configuration. 2) Better documentation.
Bush's education improvements were
trusting the US is not the same as trusting Microsoft and viceversa. Microsoft and the US is not one entity (okay sometimes they seem it). The Black Chamber convinced international telecoms/telegraph services to secretly copy certain messages in the early 1900's, could they do the same now? now the NSA/3 letter acronym could just as easily "convince" a company in ANY country to bend over for them now a days, even more so today, "they were a front for terrorism?"
And the reason why they don't is beyond me. Truthfully, if the reason is to support "our" software industry, its just pathetic. They even charged MS with being a monopoly.
The real problem is that no one in the government knows any better. Why the hell do you think we get all these crap laws like DMCA in the first place? Its cause the very loud kaa-ching sound of coins in big business's pocket drown out the yells of the under-funded consumer group lobiests. And the fact that there is only maybe 10 people in congress who had a person computer before the age of 20.
I mean, I'm glad to see the rest of the world smartening up and kicking the MS habit, but unless the U.S. gives up it's vision of a global industry dominated by "their" companies (heh), I don't think they will push alternatives very hard.
Also, how deep are the ties between MS and the present Administration? That will make a big difference in how the Gov't treats MS.
I've got a bad attitude and karma to burn. Go ahead. Mod me down.
Nice to see a niche forming up there...
Could a non-Finish European please confirm or deny that the fact that Linus Torvalds is a native of Finland is a 'rallying point' for Europeans?
"Another rallying point for Europeans is the fact that Linus Torvalds, the programmer known as the father of Linux, is a native of Finland."
That really does sound like a load of rubbish to me!
And what crackhead moderator came up with calling this informative ?
Jezus if you want to moderate atleast check the freaking links
I bit the head off a retard kid once. I thought he was a dove or something. A large misshapen dove with mongol features. Made a lot of noise, that one!
Watch my fucking show!
Not only is Linux elite, I think I found some size 6 diapers. Are there any 7 year old girls that wear diapers underneath their dresses?
A post at +1 completely devoid of any meaningful content. It looks like the terrorists have already won.
Take it from here WIPO.
There have been a couple of articles on IX about the German parliament considering a migration from NT4 to either Linux or Windows, the latest news from that battle was that Microsoft promised to make the sourcecode of Windows XP available to the German government for inspection.
...
One thing that keeps me curious is how they (the closed source evil-doers) could possibly guarantee that the source code they give out to selected people is the code they build the actual system from, I mean do they actually say "build your own windows"?
<conspiracy theory>
With M$ in bed with US politics, what other national government would trust the US not to embed espionageware in their OSes?
</conspiracy theory>
"If you create user accounts, by default, they will have an account type of Administrator with no password." KB Q293834
MS bought the US Presidential election and picked the Attorney General (Mr. aShcroFT) that it could not only stop the DOJ from breaking it up but extend its monopoly for generations to come (via education).
Those Linux distros are developed by local businesses, meaning they employ citizens. Makes sense for a government to support its own working men and women.
Has anybody actually had expierence using this? I am curious if this is worth paying any attention to as I am setting up a secure linux box for online transactions and want the most secure version of linux possible.
...Buy a congressman today!
Needed for Linux: 1) Easier installation and configuration. 2) Better documentation
3. Nice deployment tools, like Microsoft's Remote Installation Services, where a brand new computer with a bootable network card (or boot disk) can be booted up, press F12 and an entire pre-configured workstation image is downloaded and installed on the workstation. Complete with Office, etc, etc. Workstation hardware independent as well. (the image can be for a SMP machine and the workstation a non SMP machine).
Or group policy with inteliMirror, where workstations upon bootup can download and apply the latest office service pack (bug fixes, whatever) from a centeral server.
We are deploying this technology at the moment and it is VERY cool.
I suppose you mean Finnish.
Encouragement and expression of happiness is meaningful content. The fast growth of Linux is a wonderful, wonderful thing. Shouts of joy are meaningful.
It is a stretch to say this has any connection with terrorism.
Bush's education improvements were
Informative Posts so far: 0
Go Linux Posts: 5
Troll Count: 20
What's wrong with this picture?
You can get ahold of Red Flag Linux, no problemo. You should be able to read chinese, however.
http://www.redflag-linux.com/
Got a referral to evaluate a tard for institutionalization the other day.
The family scenario was just lovely. The person being referred was a tard,
but could talk and wipe his own ass. Living with him at home was his mother
and "uncle". Mom was also a tard, but couldn't speak much and obviously
could not wipe her own ass. The uncle was an alleged family member who had
been taking care of the two for about 20 years.
It was obvious that uncle was getting some benefit from this, as the
son-tard kept referring to how much his uncle charged for fixing meals,
cleaning the house, buying groceries, etc. Whenever such statements were
made, the uncle would just go "Ssshh" and then shake his head and say, "The
boy jus' ain' in his right min'."
Anyway, we had gone through the IQ evaluations and were discussion behavior
problems. Uncle had indicated that son-tard could get hostile and
aggressive, particularly towards mom-tard. This went on for a few minutes,
and then I asked if there was anything else. The uncle replied, "Oh yeah,
the boy fucks his momma." The uncle described that, whenever son-tard got
the chance, it was time to have a go at momma. It was clear that uncle knew
a lot about the situation, as he described basic fucking, as well as anal
and oral. When asked if he did anything about this, he replied, "Well, his
momma don' seem ta min' an' I gotta go to work." All of this was discussed
by uncle in a "hurry up I want to go home and drink" tone of voice.
A nation hell bent on suppressing free speech (China) embracing an operating system thats underlying belief structure is pure free speech. What next? Microsoft using the BSD TCP/IP stack? Oh... wait... ;-)
"We shall sodomize your sons, We shall seduce them in your schools, in your dormitories, in your gymnasiums, in your locker rooms, in your youth groups, Your sons shall become our minions and do our bidding. They will come to crave and adore us. All laws banning homosexual activity will be revoked. Instead, legislation shall be passed which engenders love between men. Our writers and artists will make love between men fashionable.... We shall raise vast, private armies...to defeat you. The family unit....will be abolished. Perfect boys will be conceived and grown in the genetic laboratory....All churches who condemn us will be closed. Our only gods are handsome young men. All males who insist on remaining stupidly heterosexual will be tried in homosexual courts of justice and will become invisible men. Tremble, hetero swine, when we appear before you without our masks."
IT'S TIME FOR TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH!
It's good to see people are finally realising that in using Microsoft products they are losing comptetive advatage. They're exposing themselves to the mediocrity of MS and all the dangers it entails. Improved security in Linux is just one example. As the net and IT infrastructure becomes increasingly improtant into the future, companies will realise the folly of blindly following Microsofts lead.
Reliable, Great Value Hosting: $7.95/mo 2.4G/120G
boot - net install
been doing it for years. sorry, yet another pathetic attempt at catch-up for m$
Well,
In Finland the goverment and some of the biggest cities like Turku are currently spending quite serious money to find out if Linux / Open Office would offer a more sensible option than the MS-products. The reason -money. The new MS-lisence scheme has really irritated the local decicion makers. It's not easy to find 30-50% more money for software licenses at the same time as unempleyment rates have started to raise again...
The added security of OSS-products is of course nice benefit, but it's not the main factor.
v.
"Microsoft Web server software powers about 30 percent of the world's Web sites -- and 62 percent of the sites that have been hacked, according to data collected by two Internet sites, Netcraft's Web Server Survey and the Alldas Defacement Archive."
Yes, it's that time again!
Got Frost Pist?
What is more likely: That an US based, closed-source, capitalist company would build in secret backdoors, hidden features, security flaws (intentional or not) spyware, and you name it, or that an international, open source, freedom loving community would?
:) I think my point is clear, whether you agree or not.
Oh, wait. The open source part kinda makes this not a question at all.
Bottom line #1 is that noone has any reason to trust Microsoft, matter of factly there are still some unidentified programs shipping with MSN among other things, that are frequently talking ot Redmond without any given reason. Think it was named "Q-Something". I don't use MSN, so I'll have to look it up. Word on the street is that it sends continous screendumps? Well, it matters not. The point is that it very well could, and since MS isn't telling us, we don't know. All we know is that it apparently slows modem traffic down to almost a halt...
Bottom line #2 is that MS is insecure, partly because they focus on other things (like sales), and partly because it is a popular platform to attack.
Bottom line #3 is that it is a US based company, with all what that means. It could mean both that they get money from the US gov or military to build in certain features, or that they are forced to do so. Remember encryption export restrictions? The debate about mandatory PGP backdoors? Yes, that is right. The same people. Huge cudos to NSA for their open source, GPL/BSD licensed enhancements to Linux though. I am not capable to determine the value of those patches, but it seems a good initiative in any case.
I could go on. I choose not to.
look at the goverments that are adopting Linux ::cough::
;-(
Germany is trying to block porn sites depending on the time of the day
france does the same for nazi items
and china...
yay for having linux ascosiated with non freedom of speech supporting countries!
ps. excuse my english
It's not just the Government, schools are switching as well!
We just finished switching servers to (SuSE 7.3) linux (vs Novell) for Wentzville, Missouri school district. (wentzville.k12.mo.us) The workstation machines might be next!
Not because anyone hates Microsoft or Novell, just because it was going to cost them a minimum of $13,000 a year for Novell licenses and who knows how much for Microsoft licenses.
They simply can't afford it and don't want to resort to piracy as so many other schools and companies have.
On top of that their getting a lot of added functionality they didn't have previously such as in house email, dns and web hosting.
We also got them setup with NAT, DHCP, and a firewall. None of which they had previously!
They are very excited to see it up and running so quickly. We're going to train them with what they need to know and they've got other training in their future budget plan.
The man who trades freedom for security does not deserve nor will he ever receive either. - Benjamin Franklin
It seems to me like the source code of NSA Linux would pass a security inspection but if the NSA uses it's normal tactics it wouldn't suprise me if the binaries, that the majority of users download, would have a backdoor...
european govs _talk_ about using linux - but they talk for a couple of years now.
;-)
The german "bundestag" diskusses about switching from NT to linux - but the same time windows-based e-gov solutions are presented.
( Windows 2000 for virtual city-halls (e))
Meanwhile MS announces to show theire sources to european govs (XP-source for gov of austria (e))....
i hope, linux will make it into our govs - but i do not really believe into it.
re china: they are not realy "anti-MS" anymore - their mayor ISPs switched to MS - most of them predicted to sitch to linux half a year ago ( breakthroug for MS in china (e))
sorry for all the links to german heise news - i read things like this on other (austrian/german) news-services, but heise has the better search-engine
Oh
... that explains it - i've spilled cofee on my shirt
See this is my WHOLE POINT! We are not using it across most of our systems. They still have MS software, even though they PAID the development costs of NSA Linux!!!!!
nuff said
b.
--
"Just believe everything I tell you, and it will all be very, very simple."
The problem with Fur Hat Linux is that it makes your CPU overheat when you use it in places where the local temperature above -20 degrees farenheit. However, this problem wasn't discovered until the Siberian hackers who developed it sent it to a more temperate part of Russia to put it into widespread government use...still, looking at the bright side, they are however looking forward to becoming the world's largest operating system provider in walk-in freezers everywhere.
In SOVIET RUSSIA... erm...NSA AMERICA, the Internet logs onto YOU!
I took the bait!
.jpgs.
1) Drop the CD in and type 'setup' and Windows installs itself, whereas you need a manual to tell you what should be installed for Linux.
So I've got this PC sitting here with no operating system or I just installed a new hard drive and I just drop in a cd and hit install? Like windows' comes on a CD that is bootable? Oh they finally got around to that with XP and 2000... gotcha
2) Hmm, all the best games and software are written for Windows, whereas Linux scrapes all of the leftovers and second class software from the people who don't get paid very well for their work.
*All* the best games are written for Windows? You are right. Linux doesn't have many big selling games available for it like Quake [I, II or III] The Sims, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, Unreal Tournament, or anything else. Maybe this isn't anyone's fault except the game writers?
3) If you have a problem with your computer, you can always call the company who put it together for you, whereas with Linux you have to work your problem around the schedule of some pasty unshaven lout who is wired to explode after drinking one too many Red Bull energy drinks.
Always? After a year and a day most will tell you to go fuck yourself. You can't call M$ - most of the time they say call your builder. Have you ever dealt with anyone's tech support? Most companies either replace the part[s] or nothing. No one holds your hand - they sell you a book, yes there is books for Windoze. OH! If your hardware isn't supported yet it maybe supported one day under linux. Under windows, it either is or isn't. People at M$ don't just sit around writing drivers for fun, but the linux community does.
4) So what if Linux is cheaper? You get what you pay for, people. Why buy a used car and worry about getting the thing running (a problem with Linux) when you can buy a new car and not have to worry?
Unfortunatly you don't get anything with your cash when you buy windoze. Solitare, and other apps that you need to rush back to the store to upgrade... worth 99 bucks? And if your shit ain't supported in winbloze M$ will tell you to suck it and call the maker - which will tell you to suck it because they don't support windows X9000 or whatever.
Oh yeah, how many thousand of apps come with windows? How many CDs in the box? By far more software *comes* with Linux. I've always wondered... how much does the Norton [Symantec] stock price jump when a new version of windows is announced.
5) Does your computer crash when you install Windows on it? Maybe that's because you built the thing from the guts of obsolete machines. Also, if you want to buy your parts off of pricewatch.com, expect to get parts that don't work properly. Does this mean that Linux is better because it has a higher compatibility with different components? NO. It means that Windows has higher standards.
Windows is SUPPOSED to be the umbrella that all computer parts, and standards sit under! Higher standards - like memory leaks, daily 'defrags', no security, control over hardware makers? I once tried to install 98 on a machine of a friend that had recently lost all of his data because of 'registry' errors and the like. Pre-built system 2 months over warrantee. No recovery CD was supplied from the PC maker and his machine sat for months because 98 would not finish the installation. Now he bought XP, can't wait for that! PS: Pricewatch doesn't sell a fucking thing.
6) Windows users, on average, copulate far more than Linux users. Windows users also don't smell like cheddar cheese.
Bill Gates is laid daily by women of all races from around the globe! You could be as well if you bought Windows XP Professional and not Home Edition! Gimme' a break.
7) My mother knows how to use Windows. Does your mother know how to use Linux?
Leave my mother out of this! Actually she is a dual booter! RedHat on one drive [doesn't use] and Mandrake on the other. She got rid of Windows when she bought ME and it froze every hour or so. She would wake up... go to the PC and see that nice pretty blue-screen saver.
8) Nobody has -EVER- been able to hack my machine or install any virus simply because I turn off Active Scripting. You take scripting away, and suddenly my Windows machine is more secure than your bodged up Linux b0xen.
Mind sharing your IP address with us? How much did you get raped for your Anti-Virus software?
9) Programs written for Windows work in Windows, whereas you have to know the program inside and out to get the thing to compile in *nix.
Compile? That's so 20th century. Desktop users these days are apt-getting and rpm'n this and that.
10) Don't like the way something is running in Windows? Change it with the click of a button. Don't like the way something is running in Linux? Recompile the god damned kernel and pray the thing doesn't hex dump over your Sarah Michelle Gellar
I don't like how things stop running in windows frankly. How do I change that? You seem to be someone that when shown a DOS prompt you say WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?
Sound about right to you? Well, I thought so.
By the way, 'No Money' sounds more appropriate than 'National Pride' as a reason for using Linux.
When you pay for basic software on thousands, maybe millions of PC's then you tend to be lighter in the wallet.
Sincerely,
Linuxisforlosers
Drugs are for losers! Remember that and stay off the crack.
Otherwise, thank you for the amusing post even if you are a fanboy.
I'm not a fanboy - your argument is just silly.
Get your Unix fortune now!
I'm Finnish and a Linux-user. The fact that Linus is Finnish too, doesn't matter to me, or to any other Finnish Linux-user I know. Sure it's nice to have something that good come from Finland, but I think Linux is a world-wide OS, just originating from Finland.
National pride has nothing to do with the fact that Linux is superior to Windows in many ways. The only place where it could matter would be governmental policies, but Finnish government uses mostly MS products.
This is got to be one of the coolest distro's around.
I like the 'microwave oven' idea.
I know people have been hacking that sorta' thing for years, but this one isn't a hack.
Get your Unix fortune now!
Because if you think those minor items (ignoring China for a second) are big - think about the US.
If you say stuff like "I think it would be cool, if someone hijacked Air Force One and crashed it into the White House", you'll probably end up in jail (couting the seconds right now). Saying something like: "Ahem . . . in this time of war against Osama bin Laden and the oppressive Taliban regime . . . we are thankful that our leader isn't the spoiled son of a powerful politician from a wealthy oil family who is supported by religious fundamentalists, operates through clandestine organizations, has no respect for the democratic electoral process, bombs innocents, and uses war to deny people their civil liberties" you'll probably end up being stoned to death by an angry mob, before the FBI/CIA/NSA/et al lines you up against the wall for execution.
And if you even dare speak out against the current "war against terrorism" - well, I think you know what will happen. And don't you dare look like an arabian!!!
We do not live in the 21st century. We live in the 20 second century.
n/t
Queen Banishes Linux
Royal throne flushes out Linux
For every server that switches back to Windows, there's gotta be at least 100 that switch over to Linux. Mr. Drake's article does a pretty decent job of pointing out why.
I've been swashdotted -- Elmer Fudd
Whoops - Should have said Mr. Krane
I've been swashdotted -- Elmer Fudd
that wasn't generated buy some phony pr talknicians.
on to the desktop.
Heh, I just noticed their title has a typo (Wellcome). :)
Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
The only system still running would be powered by the UPS generators in Cheyenne Mountain. Unfortunatly It's a P90 running kernel 1.2 that got walled in by mistake. When they do find it there wont be any doubt about the world record for uptime.
We really need your help
http://www.gofundme.com/help-sherry
of the article:
;-)
"NSA feels it has a responsibility in that area," Haigh said. "They understand better than anybody in the world the deficiencies of operating systems."
but we knew that all along anyway
He who defends everything, defends nothing. -- Fredrick The Great
Presumably this is due to 1) cost, 2) backdoors inserted by Microsoft, NSA, or other source.
:)
I think #1 is main because of a friend who got school and goverment in a French town to convert to his linux based preinstalled machines, and also because of the Florida examples.
Here's some questions then..
1. What if Microsoft provides source code or even ability to make own builds to selected institutions/countries if they pay/sign enough paper? Is there a price point at which Microsoft becomes interesting again? In Japan some cell phones cost a penny up front. Paid $5 for mine, but have to pay $100 a month..
2. How do apt-getters and up2daters really know they are getting nsa-backdoor-free binaries (besides having a server in their country rebuild all the binaries automatically..) I.e. how to make best case for linux security over M$. Doubt full answer is "duh, MD5".
3. Same as #2 for general case where citizen of country A wants to download distros/binaries from scary country B. "Scary" could be redefined as "France or worse" (regarding government-funded economic espionage policy). Maybe we need to have local, private, secure, trusted cross compiler studios to create a positive force at purifying the net..
4. Perhaps library/binary from non-U.S. country X might be relatively unsafe due to CIA-inserted backdoors/virii? Figure for example that China *will* make lots of attempts at doing this themselves against their own citizens now that we all and the U.S. government are giving them all these great ideas. 'Course maybe they would then promote linux to the hilt and then one democracy virus would wipe out their "Red Lantern" infrastructure..
5. (No, no need to flame) Are Microsoft ideas of subscriptions, or shared source, repugnant to government customers mainly because
a) they are morally bankrupt (i.e. crime against humanity)
b) would be a prior lien on a nation's prosperity (i.e. crime against your constituents)
c) your business and/or government could fail or worse if you made Microsoft an enemy by say falling in arrears
d) "information security"
e) "national security"
f) moot, we want MS (preinstalled base in our govt)
g) moot, we want MS (old established firm)
h) repugnant but only game in town
i) moot (who cares)
j) other (what?)
6. What is an effective way for private open source developers to make money on market constituted of all world governments' organs?
Obviously there is some kind of a barrier here regarding currency, local requirements, trust, obtaining contact information, every country being set up differently, etc.
I'm thinking 1) education software.. ideology agnostic (woops thats not really true). and 2) a best-practices database that would tell them what to buy. Oh, and 3) make something that saves money and sell to everyone including governments.
Does anyone recall an article posted on Slashdot, about the following: A man speaks of how he walks into corporate structures to do white hat audits. - he walks off with important papers, - he pretends to talk on cellphone to get through passcode doors while others enter code, as security - he carries boxes around to have people open doors for him - he carries around a clipbook to seem like a utility guy - he wears hardhat, and an electritians type uniform - he tells us how he gets all the way to server rooms, etc.. I cannot find the article on slashdot. It seems all security articles from before a few months ago cannot be searched. Does anyone have the link? - Omnihil
Lots of US government agencies use Linux for various purposed. NASA uses it. NSA is developing their own hardened distrobution. Etc.
What's important is that we continue to provide them with a good Linux experience. Treat US government employees like royalty in newsgroups etc(when they ask about linux), and we just might increase our brainshare and marketshare.
Stop the brainwash
Not that your average politico knows jack about OS's in general, but that just makes it easier to go with the default.
-N
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. --Edmund Burke
From what I've read about it, isn't NSA's Linux more just a proof of concept of attaching hardware access to a user, and actually not a 'super elite security OS'? I see it's name tacked on to things like this and think that either I'm wrong or someone else is....
Badgers? Badgers! We don't need no stinkin' Badgers!
I thought most large Linux distributions are US-based: Red Hat, Slackware, Debian... Same goes for FreeBSD and NetBSD. (Not to mention all of the proprietary Unix scene and the myriad of other OSes around there, starting from Mac and embdedded systems...)
Maybe many developers come from other countries, but the source of distribution is in the US, and also many developers.
Open by default. I just can't understand the reasoning. Springtime? Everybody loves ftp?
Yawn. Either in cron or rc.local:
apt-get update; apt-get upgrade
Point it at your own local sources, of course, not the official Debian ones, so that you have control of the patch level of your machines.
I agree with the other poster - maybe someday Microsoft will be easier to remotely administer, but that day has not come yet.
Your right to not believe: Americans United for Separation of Church and
While everyone cheers the increased used of Linux by governments, I think you're all missed the fact that BSD variants of UNIX (OpenBSD/FreeBSD) have been heavily used by many governmental agencies long before Linux became the latest hip OS to have.
After all, BSD variants can handle very high volume transaction loads and has generally pretty good security, something that government agencies really want.
You Slashdot people always claim that Windows is not insecure and that Linux is very insecure.
Well, since governments have chosen to use Linux, I guess that blows up your theories, doesn't it.
How is this offtopic? The article cites the "security" of Linux. The poster correctly points out that Linux isn't so secure & suggests alternatives.
That post should be "+5 Insightful"
DUH,
If Microsoft wasn't greasing the US government they would also be using what is "free". I remember my stint in the IT department of the city government offices (my home town) Microsoft gave us a "municipality discount" and basically gave us NT4.0 at a 2 for 1 price to switch from the SUN systems we had in place. You will see the rest of the world adopt free and open OS's and apps before the United states even get's a clue.
Govt A, "we can use Govt B's os that they wont give us the source code to, but the promise there aren't any backdoors or secret access programs in it. or we can use this BSD/Linux thingy."
Govt B, "Use this, We promise we wont spy on you with it. we wont even tell the SPA that you have it." (attempt at humor)
Govt A, "Ummmm.... yeah.... we'll think about that."
My guess is that this doesn't have much (any) to do with the technical superiority (or inferiority) of Linux, and more with fears that there are NSA links inside Windows or other closed software. It's more like "well, this is our only choice". I know I'll get flamed for this, but search your feelings, you know it to'be true.
Every day I see the Slashdotr community whing about how Linux is bad and how Microsoft and Windows are superior.
When governments proof that it isn't like that, Microsoft zealots get all upset about it.
"Linux bad blah blah, Microsoft good blah blah"
" "They don't want to build an economy entirely on Western technology," Gong said. "To be a strong nation, they have to have intellectual property.""
i thought linux was a western technology... after all, they are just modifying the code...
Kids use Windows and Sub7 to hack. And then they think they're real hackers and that they're cool just because they can click a few buttons in Sub7.
SoftWar Gangsters Continue to Hold U.S. Hostage
That's write, we're recommending that curious george et al take immediate action to disempower the felonious gangsters whoare causing our nation to look whoreabull.
Why not appoint a group of "temporary guardians" of PCville/the 'net? Said bored could consist of such annoying figureheads as stallman, perens, torvalds, cronkite, raymond, etc..., even the commander could help. Go for IT george, do IT now. billygates is lying to you.
Conspiracy theorists, where are you? I think that the perfect way to get backdoors into everyone's computers would be to allow an operating system (that you have backdoors into) to become prolific!
you think that's bad? ;-) ever heard about the Wellcome trust? Sponsors of the Human Genome Proj.
Worked there last year at wellcome, not HGP)
check them out at http://www.wellcome.ac.uk
noew *that's* a typo! *grin*
Mind you, got an explanation back then why it was spellt like it was - can't remmeber though
if (!signature) { throw std::runtime_error("No sig!"); }
I would have thought a big reason for China (or Chinese companies) to create their own version of Linux is to have better integration with the Chinese Language. While most OS's have chinese or japanese versions they are adapted from the english originals. It seems they could write an Window Manager or APIs that were better integrated with thier languages.
I'd be interested in the comments of people using Windows or MacOS with the Chinese language packages. Does it feel natural or like you are using something awkwardly grafted together?
I am very pro-Microsoft. I am more pro-Microsoft than Bill Gates. In my opinion, correcting the problems below would be very healthy for Microsoft.
The registry is a single point of failure. If I install a program, and something goes wrong, the registry may become corrupted. There are many kinds of registry corruption that cannot be fixed for a practical price.
Microsoft operating systems cannot be trusted. Microsoft often builds attempts at making money and crushing competitors into its operating systems. For example, if I make a mistake in typing an address into the Internet Explorer address bar, I am connected instead to MSN.com, a commercial activity of Microsoft.
A recent service pack upgrade to Microsoft operating system software disabled a competitor's software (Apple's QuickTime). There was no notice. The fact that there was no notice means that users may spend time troubleshooting why QuickTime would not start.
Microsoft cannot be trusted to try to make a good operating system. The registry problems are, apparently, caused by trying to mix all programs together so that the mixture will act as copy protection. This is putting interest in making money before interest in trying to make a good operating system.
Microsoft Windows 95, 98, and ME contain deliberate limitations. They crash even when there is plenty of memory, because of deliberate limitations in operating sytem resources. This was done apparently because of the desire to sell everyone a better operating system later.
I estimate that this message could go on for 1,000 more pages. Just the very limited U.S. Justice Department complaints against Microsoft, in which Microsoft was found guilty of breaking the law, were more than 200 pages.
Part of the complete definition of an operating system is that it is software you can trust completely. By that definition, in my opinion it cannot be said that Microsoft has ever made an operating system.
Bush's education improvements were
From recent laws, outrageous patents and what not, it's more like when M$ is going to push "their" government to bully the world?
M$ delendo est.
DMCA, Hollings, Palladium. What might have sounded like paranoia is now common sense.
Ken Thompson wrote a paper a few years back that demonstrates that source code alone is insufficient to gaurantee security. Suppose that you have source code for the OS and all the various utilities and applications. You inspect the source code, then compile it, and you now feel pretty secure - yes? No, because, what about the tools used to compile the code? What Thompson demonstrated was a compiler, that a) looks for and hacks the Unix login code to add a back door and b) recognises and similarly compromises compilers that it builds! Here's a link to a subsequent article Thompson wrote for the ACM revisiting the issue.
[Insert pithy quote here]
I've more often heard that about M$ "products" here at work. Nice to see how large orgainzations have constants, regardless of who's in charge and what they say they think. If only there were something there about "empowerment".
DMCA, Hollings, Palladium. What might have sounded like paranoia is now common sense.
As you noted, enemies of freedom are happy to use all the tools others develop to secure their power. They have the freedom to choose, those under them do not.
DMCA, Hollings, Palladium. What might have sounded like paranoia is now common sense.
While I can't speak for up2daters, I know that Debian Maintainers would scream if anyone tampered with a mirrored version of their work. It would be reported at www.debian.org and here before you could say "reinstall" from trusted source. DNS attacks are evil, but they will be reported.
DMCA, Hollings, Palladium. What might have sounded like paranoia is now common sense.
I understand that the Royal family moved to Windows though... ISP imposed policy :(
All these other countries think they can jump on the band-wagon and claim Linux for their Personal and Public Security and act as though they are pioneers against Microsoft. Fat chance. These other countries think as though they are boycotting a part of USA that represents capitalism, ala Microsoft, and in fact they are inducting capitalism into their markets; pooch-screwing themselves in the ass. Unix and all things associated with it is relative to good ol' USA. Linus Torvalds didn't move to Russia or China to release his software; Russia and China are strictly communist and wouldn't allow him to do what he does best. Mr. Torvalds moved to USA because it is the last bastion of 100% freedom. Freedom ringing so loud that the government has grasped its own freedom to violate other people's freedom, allow Microsoft to produce dirty software, and the FBI is allowed to bypass the Constitution by confiscating everyone's guns; removing any chances of upholding freedom. What made Linus Torvalds move to USA and not China or Russisa? He knew the USA, no matter what state of its union, has potential for reform from any kind of corruption. He knew that in USA, all of its government is being watched tentatively by the eyes of freedom fighters that uphold the real checks and balance system. In the United States of America, you can uphold your freedom while China and Russia prance on our coat tails by claiming Linux as their own when they realy mean to corrupt it. What a bunch of clowns they are; we, the United States of America, is freedom and they are not.
.plan on their distributions. Can anyone agree more?
What's next? Convict Linux? Red Storm Linux? RedHat Linux? What is up with all these shitty naming conventions for Linux distributors? I suggest we hoist a 100% GPL'ed Linux optimized for different uses while supporting the same uses all by itself, unlike other distributors, and call it either "FreeLinux", "NetLinux", or "openLinux". BSD has a good
without prejudice
http://www.redflag-linux.com/xiazai/gpl.html
One never knows do one...?
will the real linus torvalds please stand up?
'Looking back to a better day, feeling old and in the way.' -David Grisma
Jon Honeyball predicts MS will switch from NTFS to a SQL'sh data repsository. This will ensure a captive market. IBM did this with VSAM files. Proprietary data storage is the greatest threat , and dis-inccentive to shift. nuf said/