Re: X server running on a different machine [Re: Wanted: a special purpose Debian installer]
Polyna-Maude Racicot-Summerside wrote:
> Hi,
>
> > For people that I consider part of my community, I feel a higher
> > standard of care is in order.
> >
> Haven't you ever tried to think of computing as a "no risk involved"
> possibility ?
>
> If I accept that I may risk rendering the system unusable and requiring
> a re-install BUT I can assume this risk and learn from this ?
If I'm asking for help, I don't want to hear "try this, it's
dangerous" unless all other possibilities have been exhausted.
If you want to start a thread "dangerous things to do to risk
your data", that's fine.
> I feel like there's some quasi religious mentality that :
> 1. Must always obey to the latest standard / RFC / way of doing things.
RFC literally means "request for comment". Only the
peer-reviewed ones listed as Standards Track can claim to be
standards; most RFCs are informational.
This is because the grad student taking notes at meetings wasn't
sure of how accurate the notes were, so they stuck "Request For
Comment" at the top of the paper when distributing it.
> 2. If we can win a millisecond then everything is worth getting this
> poor millisecond.
Depends. If you can save a millisecond on something that
happens a million times a day, that's 15 minutes of your day
back. If it takes you an hour to save a millisecond on something
that only happens once a day, it's probably not worth it.
> 3. Unix is SERIOUS stuff, even if you use it only for web surfing, if
> you have the technical knowledge then you must ensure it's safe.
There are a bunch of loonies out there who don't like other
people based on gender, sex, skin color, religion, geography, or
merely the fact that their computer is unsecured.
If you depend on your computer to be safe, it's worth taking
these things seriously.
If you have a throwaway computer for fun, go have fun with it.
> 5. It's up to date.
Makes it easier to be secure, often offers features or fixes
that people like.
> 6. Follow the "guidelines".
There's not just one set. But if you ask for help, you should
get good advice. And if lots of people ask for the same sort of
help, writing down that good advice is efficient.
> 7. You collect metrics and review them to prevent anything bad from
> arriving.
Metrics don't prevent bad things, they show you bad things in
progress or the past.
> 8. You only used limited sudo possibility (in case someone hack into
> your box).
Good advice.
> 9. You must care about your own data (which you don't really care,
> except some family photo that you backup on Google Drive) like it if was
> client user's data.
I can't tell you how to value your data. Most people are pretty
upset when they lose things that they thought were safe.
> 10. Use error correction ram.
Hardly ever worth while in a personal computer context. Often
worthwhile in a business context.
> 11. Have a kernel optimized with the good type of scheduling for your work.
Hardly ever has to be changed; if you need it, it should be
obvious.
> 12. Leave the less port possible open (sacred).
If you mean "don't leave ports open that you didn't mean to
leave open", certainly. I've lived in places where it was pretty
safe to leave your front door unlocked. I don't live in one now.
If you're connected to the Internet, you don't.
> Why can't it be also fun ?
It is. Don't make mean jokes, that's not fun for anyone
except you.
-dsr-
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