Re: sysadmin won't allow linux - PLEASE HELP
On Wed, Jul 11, 2001 at 03:50:18PM -0400, Brian Stults wrote:
> talk on the phone with the sysadmin of the College of Liberal Arts and
> Sciences and explain two things: 1) they want to know why I need linux
> instead of using their unix system and having MS Windows on the desktop;
> and 2) they want to know that I am conscious of security issues. If
Let me first re-iterate what others have said: be polite when dealing with
these people; show that you know what you're doing (but don't deliberately
talk over their heads); clearly say that you will disable all services
except SSH and FTP; and consider running *only* SSH, and using scp rather
than FTP. You might also want to use both tcpwrappers and a firewall to
limit who can use SSH, as well as configure how your computer reacts to
network traffic, and also (with iptables) have the ability to log network
activity. With this and strong passwords, your computer will probably be
one of the most secure computers on the network.
Now let me vent a little bit: I don't think it's fair that you should even
have to talk to the sysadmin, unless *everyone* with a PC (regardless of
OS) has to talk to him. The sysadmin either doesn't know anything about
Linux or thinks *you* don't know what you're doing.
If he doesn't know anything about Linux, then he probably subscribes to
the "Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt" propaganda that our favorite monopoly
broadcasts. Now that Microsoft has labeled open source software "viral,"
there will be a lot more people afraid of Linux, before they've even given
it a chance. Of course you can come up with many contrived technical
examples why open source software is subpar, dangerous or a security risk.
But for the folks who don't understand the tech talk, all they have to
hear is that it's "viral" and they immediately think it's dangerous.
Of course it could just be the latter case, i.e., that your sysadmin is
quite Linux knowledgeable, but is concerned that you aren't. It could
just be that someone came along, set up an unsecured Linux box, and opened
the door to some trouble. However, since they think that Linux can "trick
the network" I'd bet they don't have a lot of personal Linux knowledge or
experience (in which case it's unfair that you have to answer to him).
When I first went to college---in 1997---and moved into the dorms, I was
running Linux. In those dorms, if both roommates had a computer, they
gave you a hub to share the dorm's ethernet access. Shortly after we
moved in and got our networks going, we had some problem, and our network
access wouldn't work. The technicians *insisted* that our problems were
rooted in the fact that I was running Linux. So it took weeks of me
calling them, trying to convince them that Linux wasn't screwing up our
network connection. Finally, they figured out that my roommate's network
card was buggy, and confusing the main switch! (And all the while that we
were without a net connection, I ran ethernet cable into the adjacent room
to "borrow" his :) It's the same principle as what you might be up
against, though: fear of the unknown.
I've been particularly mad about all this recently, having just read an
article about our Redmond boys' new licensing plan. If I read the article
correctly, it said that on one of Microsoft's new products, their license
states that you cannot use their product with "viral" software. They
define viral software as free software with open source licenses (in
particular, GPL'd software, and software with similar licenses). They
literally cite Linux and Apache as examples of viral open source software.
Doesn't anyone else find this outrageous? This is the same as saying you
can't wear hand-me-down pants with your overpriced Abercrombie & Fitch
shirt. It's like a violation of your personal freedom.
I think the whole fear, uncertainty and doubt tactics are pretty low in
the first place. It's like Cambles going after soup kitchens because they
cut into profits. It's like JCPenny giving the Salvation Army.
Sorry, just had to rant a bit.
Matt
--
Matt Garman, garman@uiuc.edu
"I'll tip my hat to the new constitution, Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around, Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday, Then I'll get on my knees and pray..."
-- Pete Townshend/The Who, "Won't Get Fooled Again"
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