From: ccrayne@crayne.org Newsgroups: alt.lang.asm Subject: Re: Linux Date: Wed, 06 Feb 2002 16:28:11 -0800 Organization: crayne.org Message-ID: References: <8e0a2732.0202061517.4ce7ada6@posting.google.com> X-Newsreader: MR/2 Internet Cruiser Edition for OS/2 v2.21/21 X-Complaints-To: newsabuse@supernews.com Lines: 16 In <8e0a2732.0202061517.4ce7ada6@posting.google.com>, on 02/06/02 at 03:17 PM, ozoneradical@yahoo.com (Ozone Radical) said: :My professor is crazy about Linux. I'd like to know if Linux has any :shortcomings that could be elimenated. Yes. The primary shortcoming in Linux is that it retains the concept of a "superuser". If someone can manage to get themselves logged on as "root", then they have the keys to the kingdom. -- Chuck Crayne ------------------------------------------------------------ ccrayne@crayne.org ------------------------------------------------------------ Message-ID: <3C61FDF3.437D@ev1.net> Date: Wed, 06 Feb 2002 22:09:23 -0600 From: Robert Redelmeier X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.04 (Win95; U) MIME-Version: 1.0 Newsgroups: alt.lang.asm Subject: Re: Linux References: <8e0a2732.0202061517.4ce7ada6@posting.google.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit NNTP-Posting-Host: twhou-210-105.ev1.net X-Trace: newsa.ev1.net 1013055240 twhou-210-105.ev1.net (6 Feb 2002 22:14:00 -0600) Lines: 33 ccrayne@crayne.org wrote: > > ozoneradical@yahoo.com (Ozone Radical) asked: > > :My professor is crazy about Linux. I'd like to know if Linux > :has any shortcomings that could be elimenated. > > Yes. The primary shortcoming in Linux is that it retains the concept of a > "superuser". If someone can manage to get themselves logged on as "root", > then they have the keys to the kingdom. Well, Linux could add a SECURE_MODE like FreeBSD so not even `root` could so certain things without rebooting. But sooner or later, every system with physical access is insecure, although encryption might save the data. Another Linux shortcoming is poor crash recovery. The default async disk writes often results in disk corruption after powerfail or other crash. Journalling filesystems may help this somewhat, but I've very fond of Kirk McKusick's SoftUpdates found in *BSD. I pulled the plug on 4 FreeBSD kernel compiles near the end, and `make` picked up without a hitch in three of the four. On the fourth, `make clean` was necessary, but the fs wasn't scrambled, and the power-on fsck was always clean. Don't try this on Linux!. It happened to me once, and I had to reinstall the /usr partition. -- Robert From: Arargh! Newsgroups: alt.lang.asm Subject: Re: Linux Date: Thu, 07 Feb 2002 16:12:46 -0600 Organization: Arargh!! Lines: 21 Message-ID: <0lu56u4johs6sjsk17v82109r1t4raqkqo@4ax.com> References: <8e0a2732.0202061517.4ce7ada6@posting.google.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Trace: UmFuZG9tSVbSzNEf9HiLxZmWl+MnnSmiacv6NWS+gh68jZ1twsD2Wd+moe9hC6Fq X-Complaints-To: abuse@rcn.com NNTP-Posting-Date: 7 Feb 2002 22:20:41 GMT X-Newsreader: Forte Agent 1.8/32.548 On Wed, 06 Feb 2002 16:28:11 -0800, ccrayne@crayne.org wrote: >In <8e0a2732.0202061517.4ce7ada6@posting.google.com>, on 02/06/02 > at 03:17 PM, ozoneradical@yahoo.com (Ozone Radical) said: > >:My professor is crazy about Linux. I'd like to know if Linux has any >:shortcomings that could be elimenated. > >Yes. The primary shortcoming in Linux is that it retains the concept of a >"superuser". If someone can manage to get themselves logged on as "root", >then they have the keys to the kingdom. It seems that every OS that I ever saw has the concept of 'superuser' in one way or another. On some (DOS, win95/98...) there is only the 'superuser', IE, the user can trash the system with little or no effort, if they are not careful. Besides, hou can you install Linux if you are not 'root'? -- Arargh (at arargh dot com) http://www.arargh.com From: "Chewy509" Newsgroups: alt.lang.asm Subject: Re: Linux Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2002 17:57:36 +1000 Lines: 23 Message-ID: References: <8e0a2732.0202061517.4ce7ada6@posting.google.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: dialup-140.115.220.203.acc02-john-stp.comindico.com.au (203.220.115.140) X-Trace: fu-berlin.de 1013070159 44340120 203.220.115.140 (16 [98691]) X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2600.0000 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000 "Ozone Radical" wrote in message... > My professor is crazy about Linux. I'd like to know if Linux has any > shortcomings that could be elimenated. Recovery after sudden power loss. I've had several ext2fs partitions made unusable after power losses. Even lost an entire machine once, the only resort was a clean install (wiping everything), and restoring data from backups. Even Win2k (w/NTFS), doesn't have this problem. > > He does not know much assembly, and is consistently asking me to use > linux for developing stuff..but i don't think there is any difference > if I develop an operating system on Linux or Windows machines. What do > you have to say about that? It comes down to what tools are available, (esp when comparing Win2k/XP Pro to Linux). I use Win2k, for the sake of tool availability, and my wife needs Office2k for work. Other wise I would use FreeBSD or Solaris... Chewy509... From: "Randall Hyde" Newsgroups: alt.lang.asm References: <8e0a2732.0202061517.4ce7ada6@posting.google.com> Subject: Re: Linux Lines: 29 X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.72.3110.1 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.72.3110.3 Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: 172.134.191.97 X-Complaints-To: abuse@prodigy.net X-Trace: newssvr14.news.prodigy.com 1013103156 ST000 172.134.191.97 (Thu, 07 Feb 2002 12:32:36 EST) NNTP-Posting-Date: Thu, 07 Feb 2002 12:32:36 EST Organization: Prodigy Internet http://www.prodigy.com X-UserInfo1: OH\WS^_DFBWARP\Y@ZOV_QLA\JT@QDDMEPWXODMMHXMTWA]EPUUEAE[YETZPIWWI[FCIZA^NBFXZ_D[BFNTCNVPDTNTKHWXKB@X^B_OCJLPZ@ET_O[G\XSG@E\G[ZKVLBL^CJINM@I_KVIOR\T_M_AW_M[_BWU_HFA_]@A_A^SGFAUDE_DFTMQPFWVW[QPJN Date: Thu, 07 Feb 2002 17:32:36 GMT Ozone Radical wrote in message <8e0a2732.0202061517.4ce7ada6@posting.google.com>... >My professor is crazy about Linux. I'd like to know if Linux has any >shortcomings that could be elimenated. > >He does not know much assembly, and is consistently asking me to use >linux for developing stuff..but i don't think there is any difference >if I develop an operating system on Linux or Windows machines. What do >you have to say about that? If you stick to console apps and the C/C++ standard libraries, there's not much difference at all between them. Obviously, if you make OS-specific API calls, there is considerable difference. Note, however, that Linux's API set is much smaller and simpler than Windows' (with a corresponding lessor amount of functionality, though, admittedly, many of Windows' API functions have no business in an OS). You are obviously fond of Windows, so it's a "not-so-bad" thing that your professor wants you to work under Linux. This will give you some experience that will be good for your personal development. By knowing both Windows and Linux, you'll be better prepared to choose an appropriate OS for future projects without the baggage of prejuidice and religion making such decisions for you. Randy Hyde