A network diagram is absolutely a start.
OPNET (www.opnet.com) actually provides a number of different utilities, namely VNE server which performs the network import, and IT/SP Sentinel which monitors stuff overnight. You can even run or create rules on the imported network in Sentinel using NetDoctor. There is also a plugin with OPNET that exports your network to a Visio diagram.
For actual documentation, keeping everything on a Wiki or perhaps a Sourceforge Project would be a great way to go.
Is this association so clear, however? Did we all forget that the virus targeted both SCO and Microsoft websites? Linux users should have absolutely no beef with Microsoft... in fact, Linux users laud Microsoft because MS makes Linux users look smarter. Windows targets the non-computer-illiterate user who just wants to do everyday tasks. Linux, even now in it's most evolved state, still requires a basic knowledge of operating system concepts and programming skills, as well as at least three programming languages (shell, C, and Perl, IMO).
I won't go as far as saying viruses will spell the end of Linux... the connection is still too far fetched. The virus writer and spreader probably was an avid Linux user who snatched a pirated copy of Win2000 and Visual Studio to sabotage the two sites, but he/she doesn't seem to have a cause except to attack the two "evils."
It's people like us in this message column that bombard the BBC with insightful, constructive comments about why Evans' column was so off target that will keep Linux growing.
I am an employee at an engineering company and an avid Linux user. I am writing in response to an article by Stephen Evans regarding Linux users and the purported cyber-battle he purports to be ensuing. There are inaccuracies in this article about MyDoom, Linux, and free software that I wish should be pointed out, and I apologize now for the lack of brevity of my comment.
First, Evan's portrayal of the MyDoom virus as a "new front" created by the "open-source Linux operating system" user is totally stereotyped. This portrays the typical Linux user as a hacking mastermind who only seeks revenge against a company that seeks to undermine their credibility. I have seen my share of diverse Linux users, from gothic-looking individuals who want to express their individuality without harming others, to fathers of mothers of respectable well-to-do families who are trying to save costs by going open-source with their home software tools. By portraying the virus writer as a "run-of-the-mill geek" intends to place a dark moniker on any Linux user, debasing them and inadvertently calling them hackers.
Second, the author portrays the background of the virus writers as "internet zealots who believe that code should be free to all." This automatically places Richard Stallman, Linus Torvalds, Eric Raymond, and the rest of the GNU, Linux, and other free software communities as automatic targets for the MyDoom virus. These individuals have begun a software movement that is known as one of the largest collaborated projects in the history of humankind, and their tangibles have lead to unparalleled credibility. Governments, corporations, and many different organizations have saved billions of dollars and have achieved stability and security of their systems using this free software. I venture to say that each of these individuals probably do not even know enough about Windows to parlay an attack, let alone have the Windows people and resources to do it for them.
Finally, Evans' characterization of the MyDoom attack as part of a front of an ongoing "cyber-battle" is totally counterfactual. This purported "war" was waged by one or a few individuals, who may or may not even be advocates of Linux. The virus software was almost certainly written in the Windows environment, because Windows executables cannot be created in the Linux environment and vice versa. It remains to be seen whether the "vandals and arsonists" are a tiny minority of "malice" that reside as a tiny, yet dark stain within the Linux community, but the MyDoom virus certainly did not prove that this was the case.
I do hope that at some point, the average Linux user may be recognized by your articles as a normal, law-abiding citizen who would not intend to break laws even though a matter of their lawfulness (the Linux kernel and SCO) is currently being questioned. I believe it debases thoughtful, ingenious consumers who seek a challenge with computing by using the Linux operating system rather than choosing the easy route and coughing up mounds of money for the latest and greatest bells and whistles in a Microsoft product.
One reason why I have switched to full-time Linux programming is because frankly, I was getting afraid of all the crapware that was being installed on my Windows 2000 PC. One day, this crap called "Newton Knows" installed itself as a toolbar in the Explorer bar and I had no idea where it came from. It had ads and random popups that I could not control whatsoever.
Then I used Adaware to remove 287 objects from my PC, and I've been using Linux ever since.
Slashdot Mirror
A network diagram is absolutely a start. OPNET (www.opnet.com) actually provides a number of different utilities, namely VNE server which performs the network import, and IT/SP Sentinel which monitors stuff overnight. You can even run or create rules on the imported network in Sentinel using NetDoctor. There is also a plugin with OPNET that exports your network to a Visio diagram. For actual documentation, keeping everything on a Wiki or perhaps a Sourceforge Project would be a great way to go.
Just to summarize these great thoughts:
Heroes:
Richard Stallman
Eric Raymond
Linus Torvalds
Capn'Crunch
Kevin Mitnick
Albert Einstein
Charles Babbage
the l0ft
Heroes' Weapons:
Debian
Fedora
Knoppix (can't forget this one!)
"Cathedral/Bazaar"
Captain Crunch Whistle
Jolt
LOTR books
Villians:
Darl McBride
Bill Gates
Steve Ballmer
Ken Brown
Jack Valenti
Hilary Rosen
Somebody's gotta make a comic book or something...
my linux top ten 01 lame 02 gmplayer 03 limewire 04 fluxbox 05 gtk-gnutella 06 cdrecord.ProDVD 07 java plugin 08 flash plugin 09 eterm 10 latest linux kernel assumes that konqueror, mozilla, gimp, xcdroast, xmms, and gaim already installed with distro.
Is this association so clear, however? Did we all forget that the virus targeted both SCO and Microsoft websites? Linux users should have absolutely no beef with Microsoft... in fact, Linux users laud Microsoft because MS makes Linux users look smarter. Windows targets the non-computer-illiterate user who just wants to do everyday tasks. Linux, even now in it's most evolved state, still requires a basic knowledge of operating system concepts and programming skills, as well as at least three programming languages (shell, C, and Perl, IMO).
I won't go as far as saying viruses will spell the end of Linux... the connection is still too far fetched. The virus writer and spreader probably was an avid Linux user who snatched a pirated copy of Win2000 and Visual Studio to sabotage the two sites, but he/she doesn't seem to have a cause except to attack the two "evils."
It's people like us in this message column that bombard the BBC with insightful, constructive comments about why Evans' column was so off target that will keep Linux growing.
First, Evan's portrayal of the MyDoom virus as a "new front" created by the "open-source Linux operating system" user is totally stereotyped. This portrays the typical Linux user as a hacking mastermind who only seeks revenge against a company that seeks to undermine their credibility. I have seen my share of diverse Linux users, from gothic-looking individuals who want to express their individuality without harming others, to fathers of mothers of respectable well-to-do families who are trying to save costs by going open-source with their home software tools. By portraying the virus writer as a "run-of-the-mill geek" intends to place a dark moniker on any Linux user, debasing them and inadvertently calling them hackers.
Second, the author portrays the background of the virus writers as "internet zealots who believe that code should be free to all." This automatically places Richard Stallman, Linus Torvalds, Eric Raymond, and the rest of the GNU, Linux, and other free software communities as automatic targets for the MyDoom virus. These individuals have begun a software movement that is known as one of the largest collaborated projects in the history of humankind, and their tangibles have lead to unparalleled credibility. Governments, corporations, and many different organizations have saved billions of dollars and have achieved stability and security of their systems using this free software. I venture to say that each of these individuals probably do not even know enough about Windows to parlay an attack, let alone have the Windows people and resources to do it for them.
Finally, Evans' characterization of the MyDoom attack as part of a front of an ongoing "cyber-battle" is totally counterfactual. This purported "war" was waged by one or a few individuals, who may or may not even be advocates of Linux. The virus software was almost certainly written in the Windows environment, because Windows executables cannot be created in the Linux environment and vice versa. It remains to be seen whether the "vandals and arsonists" are a tiny minority of "malice" that reside as a tiny, yet dark stain within the Linux community, but the MyDoom virus certainly did not prove that this was the case.
I do hope that at some point, the average Linux user may be recognized by your articles as a normal, law-abiding citizen who would not intend to break laws even though a matter of their lawfulness (the Linux kernel and SCO) is currently being questioned. I believe it debases thoughtful, ingenious consumers who seek a challenge with computing by using the Linux operating system rather than choosing the easy route and coughing up mounds of money for the latest and greatest bells and whistles in a Microsoft product.
Thanks for your time.
Read "Just For Fun" (Linus Torvalds/David Diamond) and all will be clear. Maddog, Linus, goddaughter, the whole story. It's a good read, too.
One reason why I have switched to full-time Linux programming is because frankly, I was getting afraid of all the crapware that was being installed on my Windows 2000 PC. One day, this crap called "Newton Knows" installed itself as a toolbar in the Explorer bar and I had no idea where it came from. It had ads and random popups that I could not control whatsoever. Then I used Adaware to remove 287 objects from my PC, and I've been using Linux ever since.