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Bug#662736: Some concerns about adding maxwell to Debian



On Mon, 23 Jul 2012, Sandy Harris wrote:
> >> Initial entropy at very early boot, before Debian seeds the kernel, is a
> >> task that can only be done properly by the kernel itself, and is being
> >> addressed there at this time (patches have already been proposed).  The
> >> proper fix for better initial entropy at boot is to backport these changes
> >> to the Debian kernel.  I do not consider maxwell relevant for this
> >> scenario.
> 
> Where can I get info on those patches? I am on the linux-crypto list
> and have not noticed them there.

Look for Ted Tso's /dev/random work in LKML itself:
http://lkml.kernel.org/r/1341511933-11169-1-git-send-email-tytso@mit.edu

> >> For other entropy gathering needs, there are safer choices.  This should
> >> be reflected on the package description.
> >
> > Agree, as I mentioned before, work on documentation is needed to ensure that
> > we provide enough information for the system designer/administrator to make
> > informed decision about how to use or not to use maxwell.
> 
> I thought I'd dealt with that in the man page & PDF.

The typical distro user can barely be bothered enough to read package
descriptions...  So a single sentence summarizing what you wrote in the
paper about when maxwell should (not) be used is really required.

-- 
  "One disk to rule them all, One disk to find them. One disk to bring
  them all and in the darkness grind them. In the Land of Redmond
  where the shadows lie." -- The Silicon Valley Tarot
  Henrique Holschuh


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