nanog mailing list archives

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


From: amuse <nanog-amuse () foofus com>
Date: Tue, 5 Dec 2017 10:15:59 -0800

Back in the day, only Ph.D's used the internet, so they were the sysadmins.

These days, I recommend that system administration be only allowed for
card-holding responsible people who have proven their technical abilities.
Then, when you get awarded your Ph.D, they can take your sysadmin card back.

On Tue, Dec 5, 2017 at 8:33 AM, Leo Bicknell <bicknell () ufp org> wrote:

In a message written on Tue, Dec 05, 2017 at 06:49:43AM -0800, Stephen
Satchell wrote:
The NSF in particular ran the 'Net like bouncers do in a strip club:
you break the rules, you go.  No argument.

I'm not sure I've ever seen a more inaccurate description of the NSF.
What in the world are you talking about?

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.

Oh wait, you took the BS to a new level.

There was no banishment and exile.  This was before we knew of buffer
overflows, spoofing, and so on.  I remember the weekly sendmail buffer
overrun bugs, the finger back bombs, the rlogin spoofing attacks.
Turns out bored college students were very good at creating mischeff.

There was no banishment.  There were plenty of bad things.

Ok, I'll shut up now.

Good plan.

--
Leo Bicknell - bicknell () ufp org
PGP keys at http://www.ufp.org/~bicknell/



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