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OpenBSD 4.5 Released

portscan writes "OpenBSD 4.5 has been released. New and extended platforms include sparc64, and added device drivers. OpenSSH 5.2 is included, plus a number of tweaks, bugfixes, and enhancements. See the announcement page for a full list. OpenBSD is a security-oriented UNIX/BSD operating system." As per OpenBSD tradition, of course there's a song.

12 of 118 comments (clear)

  1. oh goody by kv9 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    NetBSD 5 yesterday, OpenBSD 4.5 today and a three day weekend ahead.

    *fap*

  2. Re:Not like that... by ld+a,b · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's totally unlike MINIX. MINIX is a hobby OS that only works and has perfect security in the author's mind. OpenBSD is used in production where security matters and on real hardware.

    I am willing to claim that OpenBSD is more than comfortable for its intended use in routers and servers.
    OpenBSD doesn't use GUI config tools, and complex package managers, but that is because they are not needed. It is simple and elegant like that.

    It has some rough edges like the lack of utf-8 support in the base system and utilities but it isn't bad as a Desktop OS either, most desktop applications don't use libc for their encoding support anyways.

    My home server and my laptop both run OpenBSD and I don't miss your real OSes at all. After all whatever I cannot do easily in OpenBSD Linux does through binary blobs and proprietary software. At that point I could be as well running Windows 7.

    --
    10 little-endian boys went out to dine, a big-endian carp ate one, and then there were -246.
  3. Re:Not like that... by the_womble · · Score: 1, Insightful

    After all whatever I cannot do easily in OpenBSD Linux does through binary blobs and proprietary software. At that point I could be as well running Windows 7.

    So there is no reason to use Linux over Windows other than to have an entirely free software systems?

    I hope you are using an open source BIOS and microcode as well, just to be consistent.

  4. Re:application security? = fail by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    it seems a bit odd for a security focused project to expect it's users to run the same old static version for circa 6 months till the next version arrives.

    Well... The thing is if you're running a jailed version of Firefox on OpenBSD the probability that someone could jailbreak it is really, really low.

    Sure, I'd love to see faster/easier app patches release on OpenBSD, but the system is so secure to begin with that it's really giving headaches to any OpenBSD-malware-wouldbe-author.

    Heck, on Linux my stateful firewall disables everything by default and then only allow what is really mandatory. User "firefox" (and user Firefox only) has the right to emit trafic to ports 80 and 443. That user cannot SSH, cannot have a shell, etc. The only right he has is to run a Firefox and to start trafic to ports 80 and 443. That's already quite a safety net and I don't give much sh*t about security update (that I do, but it's not like I'm concerned about being hacked when I didn't install the update in the minutes it was out).

    Imagine what you could do on OpenBSD to prevent unpatched app from breaking havoc, should they prove to be insecure...

  5. Re:Not like that... by larry+bagina · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Yep. GPL talks the talk, but BSD walks the walk. Thanks and congratulations to all the BSD contributors throughout the years. This is a more FREE world thanks to your time and efforts.

    --
    Do you even lift?

    These aren't the 'roids you're looking for.

  6. Re:Not like that... by idiotnot · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The package management is just as good if not better than what's available in Linuxland,

    When's the last time you used Linux? Keeping systems up-to-date, both base system and userspace stuff, is much easier on Debian-based systems, IMO. It's straightforward on the BSDs, yes. But I wouldn't call it better. In fact, when I do setup an OpenBSD systems, I normally end up using pkgsrc over OpenBSD ports.

    so there's no great difficulty in setting it up as a good desktop system.

    No, there's not. But even a Windows-only imbecile can get Ubuntu with GNOME running in less than an hour, and I don't think you can say that about any of the BSD systems.

    Don't get me wrong, I prefer NetBSD and OpenBSD to pretty much everything else out there, but it's still not for beginners.

  7. Old, but scrutinized. That's the point. by geekmux · · Score: 4, Insightful

    A version of KDE that no longer gets any love from upstream; old Firefox, old Thunderbird. Hopefully there are security updates for the latter two and that someone is giving some TLC to the former.

    OpenBSD is on a 6-month development release, and remember the auditing and code-screening that goes into each release. Patches for these "optional" packages (OBSD default install primary use is a stripped down server environment) can be updated immediately. Just like any other installer, there WILL be updates available, even on day 1.

  8. Re:application security? = fail by Lord+Ender · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Who cares if your browser is jailed? Someone who owns your browser also owns your online banking, stock trading, webmail... you get the picture.

    --
    A slashdotter who didn't build his own computer is like a Jedi who didn't build his own lightsaber.
  9. Re:Not like that... by andrewd18 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    kLOC == Popularity.

    That does not necessarily mean that GPL is the right solution for all open-source software, and please don't suggest otherwise. Each project determines which license is right for them.

  10. Re:Not like that... by bconway · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Security is something we should get on top of the other features, not with the cost of other features. I am talking about usability and features here.

    Security is not a feature. Thinking it is has led to most of the Internet's larger failings as present today.

    --
    Interested in open source engine management for your Subaru?
  11. Re:"Only" two remote holes in 10 years? by sleepy_weasel · · Score: 2, Insightful

    except that the Apache that comes installed with OpenBSD is far different than the one you'll find on apache.org. Last I heard, there are about 4000 lines of code difference. They maintain that as part of the base. It is more secure than the stock apache you'd find elsewhere.

    And this isn't coming from some AC. I've used OpenBSD since 3.4. I've seen the implementation of wireless, bluetooth, WPA/WPA2 without the "linux_supplicant" bullshit. Massive changes to PF, bioctl for raid, sound upgrades, DRI for 3D, OpenBGPd, OpenOSPFd, our own implementation of mail (ripping out the modified sendmail). All without an NDA.

    We are the tortoise, not the hare. Linux/FreeBSD are the prison bitches of companies by signing NDAs just so they can "support" the latest technology. Video cards blobs may work, but when they go tits up, the companies either take forever to fix them, or it's just tough luck... "you don't have enough market share"

    It's a popularity contest. OpenBSD won't win it, but we don't need to. I am happy to be sitting at the adult table, not eating the table scraps of the corporate world.

    --
    It's all damned lies and statistics!! I mean 47% of all people use statistics to back up their arguments.
  12. Re:Via Torrent by incripshin · · Score: 2, Insightful

    If the MD5 is different, you shouldn't use it.