[lug] dumpdates

[John Starkey]

> You're safe with that option, but modules are not a bad thing, really.

Seems they'd slow the system down??

> Only root can load modules into the kernel.  I've heard of malicious
> modules being loaded into kernel and disappearing from sight by
> modifying the filesystem and module-handling code, but if someone has
> root access to load modules into your system in the first place, they
> can do pretty much anything they want anyway.  Root gives you the
> power to hang yourself upside down by the toenails; Linux isn't
> concerned in the slightest with protecting root from itself - that
> defeats the point of root itself.
 
Good point. And a good question here. Is there anyway that any user other
than root can recompile a kernel?? I know/or think in theory there's no
way in hell. But in reality say, and no disrespect intended to anyone,
maybe a mutant kernel developer could telnet in and do it?

> That's a reasonable goal, especially for firewalls and servers.  Just
> remember that if the number of things you need grows, you might end up
> putting things back in that you took out.  It's still a good
> philosophy, though perhaps slightly less so for a desktop system.  

I am running a couple services. The final producted is served remotely,
but maybe ist's that  little bit of control freak in me that would feel
much more comfortable knowing EXACTLY what's running and when. Oh, and
what can be executed. I think it's more the inquiring minds thing. I'm
that way with every system I run. I'd rather re-load something than to
have something sitting there not knowing what it does.

> > And I'm not the type that can read a book and know what
> > everything does, no adrenaline involved :}.
> 
> It's hard to read a technical book and get something out of it without
> applying it at the same time.  I recommend O'Reilly's "Unix Power
> Tools" for learning about shells and the more common of the
> command-line tools.  Find the HOWTOs that discuss things you want to
> know more about, and try applying them at the same time.

I just started a temp position coding html today and all I did was read
orientation type stuff. Ready to fall asleep. The job seems great and
I understand the training part. It's just tough for me. I've been pointing
and clicking for a long time. Not clicking and reading.
 
> I've personally found adrenalin less useful around computers, as it
> makes me tend to hit 'Enter' before I've stared at the command long
> enough to decide if it'll actually do what I want.  And caffeine makes
> me twitch more than it keeps me awake.  Ah, well.

Funny my girlfriend and I were laughing about the "first day jitters" and
working on a terminal. 

<hhttmmll>
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<ttiittllee>
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:}

John