For what it's worth....
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| Author | Content |
|---|---|
| Ridcully Oct 19, 2013 6:32 AM EDT |
I'm ex-Royal Australian Navy - even if it is now some 30 years since I wore the uniform. Once I became aware of Linux and used it exclusively circa 2000, I became increasingly horrified that any Defence vessel, aircraft or weapons system should rely on a Windows platform. My biggest nightmares were those of a submarine suddenly confronted with blue screens of death while at maximum depth. Little by little, Linux is shifting Microsoft's software out of defence systems which thereby obtain the security, reliability and speed of the FOSS operating system, together with the ability to modify the source code as desired. Some time back, the UK authorities changed their nuclear submarines over from Unix to Windows....comparative security to ......well, we all know the rest of that sentence. It's great to see the US leading the way with Linux software. Well done indeed. |
| the_doctor Oct 19, 2013 11:46 AM EDT |
The US Department of Defense has developed and been using its own Linux distro for years:Quoting:Lightweight Portable Security (LPS) is a Linux LiveCD, (or LiveUSB), developed and publicly distributed by the United States Department of Defense’s Software Protection Initiative that is designed to serve as a secure end node. It can run on almost any Intel-based computer (PC or Mac). LPS boots only in RAM, creating a pristine, non-persistent, end node. It is capable using Common Access Card (CAC) software for authentication into DoD networks. From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightweight_Portable_Security For more info see: http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=lps http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/linux-distribution-light... http://spi.dod.mil/lipose.htm |
| Ridcully Oct 19, 2013 5:22 PM EDT |
Quite true, "the_doctor" - I have known of these things for several years. I also believe I have read that Linux is being deployed (not as a cd) in some sort of personnel packs for field work, and also in the control systems for the drones used in Afghanistan/Pakistan. What I hoped to imply by my first post, but obviously didn't, was that this is the first example I have seen of an entire ship running on Linux - this is no CD, this is the ship's master computer running on the Linux OS. There may be other similar examples and if you know of more, I'd be very interested to learn of them....For instance, is the US Dept of Defence running Linux and FOSS in its offices ? It would make a lot of sense if it was. |
| the_doctor Oct 19, 2013 5:41 PM EDT |
I remember this from a few years ago:Quoting:Among the budget cuts California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed to health care, prison, environment, and other parts of the state budget, there's one area that has a good chance of actually getting a budget increase: open source in IT. From: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13505_3-10432052-16.html But I never heard much about it after that. It sure is nice to see the government saving the tax payers some money for a change. And just call me Doc. Everyone at my LUG does (Freeing the world, one computer at a time). ;) |
| Bob_Robertson Oct 21, 2013 9:20 AM EDT |
I've often wondered why the entire Fed.Gov doesn't run SELinux. |
| gus3 Oct 21, 2013 11:18 AM EDT |
I'm still wondering why it isn't criminal malfeasance to run MS Windows. |
| Bob_Robertson Oct 21, 2013 12:09 PM EDT |
> why it isn't criminal malfeasance to run MS Windows It _is_, it just isn't prosecuted. It's amazing that stockholders haven't filed a lawsuit, or rather no lawyer has filed a class-action lawsuit against one of these endless companies who get hacked for running Windows, a system known to be vulnerable. |
| Ridcully Oct 21, 2013 6:19 PM EDT |
At a guess, Gus3 and Bob_Robertson (and it really IS a guess, because I've never read the thing in full and haven't seen one for over 10 years), I'd reckon Microsoft has it all sewn up in the EULA.....you probably cannot sue Redmond for a single thing......they take your money, but you take the risks. It's just a guess, but I'd lay money on it. |
| BernardSwiss Oct 21, 2013 7:13 PM EDT |
I've heard that, when all the boiler-plate is analyzed, Microsoft can't be held responsible for more than the cost of the media -- about USD$5). On rare occasions, small commercial entities have released their EULAs in plain English: http://www.oocities.org/heartland/plains/4188/sw_doc.html and here, the same Lisense Agreement and accompanying Disclaimer, with pictures of the original hard-copy: http://greensboring.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=13513 . |
| Bob_Robertson Oct 22, 2013 8:47 AM EDT |
Who said anything about suing Microsoft? I mean any company who would use Windows for customer data cannot claim ignorance of Windows' vulnerability. |
| Ridcully Oct 22, 2013 9:08 AM EDT |
Bob_Robertson.....would you believe I realised exactly the point you are making ONLY after I had submitted my last post on this thread. What you are suggesting is a very interesting "inverse" culpability which penalises the firms that deliberately use the faulty software.....and the rest then follows. I wonder if it could be done. |
| Bob_Robertson Oct 22, 2013 10:44 AM EDT |
Certainly it _could_ be done. Using Windows has been so vulnerable for so long that any company still using it must have made a deliberate choice to ignore that vulnerability. And just like the supposed $5 piece that would have stopped the 72 pinto from rupturing its fuel tank on impact, any deliberate choice that increases the hazard of the product or service means culpability. Just for the record, I think the 72 pinto lawsuit was absurd, since if someone wanted a Mercedes they would have bought a Mercedes, but when the alternative to Windows is CHEAPER as well as more secure, even that argument is defenestrated. |
| gus3 Oct 22, 2013 1:57 PM EDT |
"Due diligence" doesn't include asking if a company is using Windows, apparently. |
| Bob_Robertson Oct 22, 2013 2:43 PM EDT |
Anyone know a securities lawyer? |
| gus3 Oct 22, 2013 2:46 PM EDT |
(who will admit to it) |
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