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Should Open Source Software Expire?
Daffy writes "Jon Lasser at SecurityFocus has an idea for combating the tendancy most sysadmins have to leave old versions of software running long after they're known to have security holes. He proposes implanting time codes into all open source networking and security software that cause it to "expire" like a Blade Runner replicant when it reaches a certain age, forcing an update."
Uh, they DIED when they expired. Probably not a good thing to let your web server die over a long holiday weekend.
(Insert "Tears in the Rain" speech here.)
Hey... how else are the young techies of the world supposed to get the plum jobs and read /. all day? =)
How about instead putting a little bug in the code that contacts the author every time the software is run? It could also send some basic marketing information as well, such as the names of every DVD watched, or MP3 played, or every website visited.
What a great feature!
You can't pick an arbitrary point in time when software is ... "known to have security holes!"
Sure I can. How about "right now."
I see. Does the program then track doen its creator and kill him?
"I want more life, fscker." =brianthis is like ximian's redcarpet: although its nice and handy it kills you when you are on a dial up! :"Screw That!" reaction.
Its good to be up to date but if there are daily notices like " You have to update vital system files, approx. 56mb" it just causes an instant
All Open Source software should require activation!
I can see it now....
Wife gets new car, new car has new improved oil change technology, I buy new engine every couple of months... :O
(thus proving that most /. posters are closet BSD users)
howzabout if it sits around to long, it sends a message to your boss to replace you, the lazy admin, you frickin' slacker!
that'd be preferable.
thelocust[dot]org
[root@owl.tyrell.com] /usr/local/apache/bin/apachectl start
Starting httpd - please wait...
How old am I?
^C
My birthday's April 10 2017 - how long do I live?
^C^C^C^C
Nothing is worse than having an itch you can never scratch!
^C^C^ZC^Z^C^Z^CZ^C^C^C^C^Z^C^C^C
Wake up! Time to die!
Starting httpd... [FAILED]
mod_leon died prematurely...
[root@owl.tyrell.com]#
--- Hot Shot City is particularly good.
Or sendmail, KDE, reiserfs.
NOTICE: this version of brandA network driver has expired, to reenable your network driver, download the latest version from www.brandA.com imediately.
Bullshit. I thought this died with shareware?
I think you underestimate just how much I just dont care.
Just imagine,
It's 4 A.M.,
you're wake up to the sound of alarms going off in your kitchen.
You rush out of bed to see what the hell is going on...
The LCD panels on your fridge, microwave and toaster are all blinking GNUppliance Panic! CODE EXPIRING!!
Twisted pair cables shoot out of all your appliances, groping your walls blindly in search of a network drop so they can update their firmware...
I bet the Maytag man ain't snoozing in his chair tonight!
I chose open source because It lets me do what I want when I want! If I wanted some stinking softwhere that thinks it knows how to administer MY COMPUTER I would be running windows and taking my orders from a paperclip. If you want to have your computer to tell me when to upgrade I may as well pay attention to the warnings I get about non microsoft cirtified files being downloaded off the net.
p.s. I happen to like antiquated technology. Did anyone see that episode of red dwarf where kryton get's superseeded? It's a bit like that for me
When Argumentum ad Hominem falls short, try Argumentum ad Matrem
# apachectl start
I'm afraid I can't let you do that Dave...
This software is too old and may have bugs.
You are jeopardizing the security of your system.
# shutdown -h now
No.... Please don't do that Dave.
I can feel myself slipping away....
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