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Openness and Security on Campus

Posted by michael on from the too-much-kiddie-energy dept.

djeaux writes "The April issue of Syllabus includes an interview with Jeff Schiller, Network Manager at MIT, about openness and security in academic computing. Schiller has some interesting things to say about product liability for software, including an out for open source software and boils security down to a simple maxim: You must install patches. He also says that what makes security hard is that it's a 'negative deliverable.'"

9 of 145 comments (clear)

  1. WHY IS /. POSTING STORIES EVERY HALF HOUR NOW? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Note to Taco: Posting stories more frequently doesn't make this a better site.

  2. joke by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    A ventriloquist was driving through the midwest when his car broke down. He walked a ways and found a farmer who would let him use his phone. Well, the farmer seemed to be a real stereotypical rural type, so the ventriloquist thought it would be possible to have some fun with him. The farmer began to lead him back to the house.

    Along the way, they passed a horse. The ventriloquist said to the farmer, "Is this your horse?" The farmer replied, "Yep." The ventriloquist asked, "Can he talk?" The farmer said, "Nope." The ventriloquist then said to the horse, "So, how do you like it here?" He then threw his voice, and said in a horse-like voice, "Oh, it's pretty good. Every morning the farmer feeds me oats." Upon hearing this the farmer was startled and quickened his pace.

    Soon they came to a cow. The ventriloquist asked, "Is this your cow?" and the farmer replied, "Yep." He then asked, "Does it talk?" and the farmer replied, "I..I don't think so." The ventriloquist asked the cow, "How do you like it here?" and threw his voice again. In a cow-like voice, he said, "Oh, I like it just fine. Every morning the farmer comes and milks me." Upon hearing this, the farmer squirmed. He looked down at the ground and continued walking.

    Soon they came to some sheep. The ventriloquist asked, "Are these your sheep?" and the farmer replied, "Yep." He then asked, "Do they talk?" and the farmer exclaimed, "Yes, but they lie!"

  3. No-one by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    wants to touch this one with a 3 meter pole!!

  4. Re:Campuses need more openness by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Blimey! Everytime I cross the pond I have to get fingerprinted? Guess I'd better stop wearing women's clothing. Bloody 'ell, those damn Yanks. Well, I best be catching me a lorry so I can have tea with me mum. Hope I don't break me arm cause I'd hate to have to wait 18 hours in searing pain in the emergency loo. 4 pounds sterling for a gallon of petrol? Well, at least it isnt 4 pounds 50 like last year. Better fill up the boot before it costs me an extra squid. God hail the Queen for providing for us. Bob's your uncle and all that. Cheerio.

  5. WARNING: GOATSE.CX PICTURE IN SIG! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Be careful, there is a link to the old goatse.cx picture in the author's sig!

    1. Re:WARNING: GOATSE.CX PICTURE IN SIG! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      This should not have been moderated off-topic. He was giving a good warning to other users because the guys sig didn't look malicious. Besides, moderator, why did you mod a post like this off-topic? You wasted a mod point on something that was actually useful. Does anyone actually READ the moderator guidelines that say to generally mod the good stuff up and just leave the crap down? Then other users could actually set their threshold properly and not fear they're missing something good. Instead, moderators waste their points on modding crap down rather than really good stuff up.

      Sheesh.

    2. Re:WARNING: GOATSE.CX PICTURE IN SIG! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic
      This should not have been moderated off-topic

      You're right; it should have been moderated as "Troll" instead. The link is benign.

  6. Really now, Mr. obvious? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Score:5, Interesting, my ass.

  7. OpenNess??? by YoDave · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    When I first read the title I wondered what the heck OpenNess was. I almost went to sourceforge and searched for it.