Date: Thu, 15 Jun 2000 00:02:14 +0930 From: Mark Newton <newton@atdot.dotat.org> To: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Subject: [Oz-ISP] FreeBSD and the forces of darkness. Real religious wars! (fwd) Message-ID: <20000615000214.C79055@atdot.dotat.org>
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This is a message which appeared on the aussie-isp mailing list earlier today. I thought people here might like it :-) Ross is a reliable source, so I doubt we can chalk this one up to "urban legend". - mark > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > Date: Wed, 14 Jun 2000 15:45:51 +1000 (EST) > From: Ross Wheeler <ross@home.albury.net.au> > To: aussie-isp@aussie.net > Subject: [Oz-ISP] FreeBSD and the forces of darkness. Real religious wars! > > > I've got to tell someone about this.... I'm flabergasted! > > A client of a client had their internet gateway machine (a Linux box) > hacked recently, and seriously compromised. Ok... totally screwed. > > So, much panic, waving of arms and gnashing of teeth, and it was a case of > "drop everything and help" this poor school. The person who set up the > original box is on the other side of the continent and seems to be not > contactable, or something. > > Anyhow, we helped. KNOWING the box had been hacked and WOULD be under > constant scrutiny, we suggested FreeBSD (now before we start any religious > wars here, yes, a linux box MAY be as secure as a FreeBSD box, assuming > both were set up by people familiar and competent with them both.... but > we're a FreeBSD site and not expert with Linux! Plus, it was compromised > as a Linux box, much better to change things a little while we're at it). > > So the box was completely re-built. They moved the goalposts a couple of > times (changing how things needed to be set up AFTER it had been done, but > hey...). and now that it's all going and working..... they want to rip it > out and put linux back on again. > > Why? > > > > > Well.... I could start a guessing competition here. > > And you guys (and girls) are NOT allowed to kill yourselves laughing > here... This is what the person actually typed: > > > "I've just had a converstaion with xxxx xxxx (our Principal) about some > of the changes. We've had to deal with some of the philosphical issues > related to BSD. As you know BSD uses a 'devil' icon to portray the BSD > symbol. Given we are a Christian school this is a significant concern for > us. Even after reviewing the sites blurb about the origin of the symbol, > we've come to the conclusion that it would not be appropriate for us to > use the software." > > Can you believe it?! > > I tried to "inform" them about the "mascot".... > > "some of our parents who are very technically savvy would not care about > the disctinction. It is the subliminal message the icon represents..." > > And then the FreeBSD site itself fueled the fire: > > "Even the site talks about a deamon being 'unleashed' in you computer blah." > > So that's that. No further discussion would be entered into. They've made > their decision..... with a parting shot that: > > "what we need to concern ourselves with as a Christian school is the > 'message' or 'image' that may unwittingly be portrayd." -------------------------------------------------------------------- I tried an internal modem, newton@atdot.dotat.org but it hurt when I walked. Mark Newton ----- Voice: +61-4-1620-2223 ------------- Fax: +61-8-82231777 ----- To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-hackers" in the body of the message
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