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Re: a small distribution pingpong
On Fri, 26 Jun 1998, Ira Abramov wrote:
> On Wed, 24 Jun 1998, Peter L. Peres wrote:
>
> >
> > >Ira
> >
> > Slackware nerve was and is not meant as a workstation OS. It is meant for
> > guys who need to learn and/or change the system to suit their needs. If
> > you rip out utilities and replace libraries 2x a day and need to shut down
> > all servers and start THOSE 4 and then start over, Slackware is for you.
>
> in what way does this NOT describe redhat?
Well, I've yet to see a Slackware user (even newbie) complain about UFO
messages in logs and sockets used by alien entities. On the contrary, RH
newbies seem to appreciate the delights of incompatible libraries, unknown
servers and become proficient hunters of configuration scripts hidden by
GUI setup tools after a while. The number of RH questions is
disproportionate vs. the number of Slackware questions, as referenced to
the poll Eli Marmor took as to constituency, so...
> > OTOH, it is said that a customized Slackware server is more secure and has
> > less 'surprizing' behavior than a Red hat one configured out of the box
> > (which has too many features to make it over-seeable easily).
>
> said by whom? RedHat is more widely installed and therefore more likely to
> be tested for security holes by more people (and RedHat are quick to fix
> those)
Slackware security is better simply because people who use it tend to do
things in non-standard ways, with tools as good as those on RH. This means
that a potential cracker will have to figure out the layout before knowing
what goes where. The SLS administrators also tend to pay more attention to
open sockets, growing log files, permissions, and security in general, as
they know beforehead what they are doing, or they don't do it at all ;)
In general, a Slackware guy is not a click-and-worry-later guy and if he
clicks on a nice GUI button called 'make your system secure forever'
(note: IF he clicks on it), he will raise all hell and disassemble the
machine to the last screw just to find out who the moron was who had the
cheek to write such a stupid button text ;)
Peter