Novice sysadmins (was: Suggestions for a more privacy conscious email provider)

[Stephen Satchell <list () satchell net>]

On 12/05/2017 02:59 AM, Rich Kulawiec wrote:
> On Mon, Dec 04, 2017 at 07:38:18PM -0500, Eric Tykwinski wrote:
> > Main point I think is mailops comes with a learning curve, and it happens...
>
>         "Current Peeve: The mindset that the Internet is some sort of
>         school for novice sysadmins and that everyone *not* doing stupid
>         dangerous things should act like patient teachers with the ones
>         who are."
>
>                 --- Bill Cole
>
> ---rsk

Indeed.  What Ajit Pai missed in his deliberations for the Dec 14 FCC 
vote is that the Internet as we know it was developed under the stern 
eyes of the Department of Defense and the National Science Foundation. 
The NSF in particular ran the 'Net like bouncers do in a strip club: 
you break the rules, you go.  No argument.

The original trust model for the Internet was based on this unrelenting 
oversight.  You didn't expect Bad Things(tm) because the consequences of 
doing them was so severe:  banishment and exile.  Also, the technical 
ability required to do Bad Things(tm) wasn't easily won.  Accessing the 
'Net was a PRIVILEGE, not a right.  Abuse at your own peril.

Organizations had experienced sysadmins because it was imperative to the 
survival of the connection to the 'Net.  One gained experience by being 
apprenticed to some experienced sysadmin.  Today:  not so much.

Indeed, I'm not aware of any certification that applies to system 
administrators.  Network administrators have certs that are 
well-recognized and accepted.  Mail admins?  Server admins?  The certs 
that are out there border on jokes or disguised sale pitches.  (Not 
unlike a certain operating system and software product vendor who put 
"free" copies into schools to build their marketing base.)

Ok, I'll shut up now.