Frank Tanner III
pctech at mybellybutton.com
Mon Oct 10 22:07:22 CDT 2005
On Mon, 2005-10-10 at 17:36 -0400, John Colby wrote: > pctech at mybellybutton.com > > I take it you want to be known as pctech at mybellybutton.com? I have to > assume that if you can figure out how to do software firewalls you can > figure out how to do signatures? > > >Actually, using a "live" CD it WOULD be trivial to build a firewall based > on a "boot CD". But would you REALLY want to? Think about it. That "live" > CD wouldn't have updates on it. This means you'd have to have new "live" CD > every time that you wanted to update the OS on the firewall. > > I don't want to have to update the OS on the firewall. I don't want to know > that the firewall exists. I currently own a Dlink 624. Once a year or so I > go download any firmware updates, over the web. Pretty much click, click, I > am done. Other than that I pay no attention to it. > > I do not consider myself closed minded. I downloaded (about two years ago) > one of the Linux distros. I got it working. I even downloaded and > installed OfficeStar. I know it is getting easier and easier. None of > which means I personally want to do that stuff. I think you have an agenda > (to have people build a firewall themselves). I do not (at least in this > area). I don't care if you set up a spare PC as a firewall, or teach others > how. I don't care if Rocky goes out and buys a multi-hundred dollar "out of > the box" solution, or builds your custom firewall, or uses some software > firewall, or indeed, if he uses nothing at all. I just don't care. > > However... I have been in computers since 1972. I know enough to know that > whether it is Windows, or Linux, or VMS, or CPM, if something goes wrong it > takes digging to figure out what is happening. The more you know about the > OS, the less digging it takes. I know that things DO go wrong, and the less > you know, the more likely something WILL go wrong. > > I personally know nothing about Linux. I don't want to know anything about > Linux. I am CAPABLE of learning enough to do what you propose, I just don't > WANT to. The very fact that you are discussing OS updates tells me I don't > want to. Additionally, I think the effort to do so is not in proportion to > any risk I might be taking by not doing so. > > >However when someone that doesn't do this for a living tries to correct me > on something that I do on a daily basis, I will correct them. > > I am not attempting to correct you, I am stating an opinion, which I believe > I very clearly stated. My opinion still is, that setting up and MAINTAINING > a custom firewall is a non-trivial task. Getting it running is no doubt the > easiest part of the project. Setting up a complex SQL Server database is > non-trivial, but even if you get it set up, MAINTAINING it is beyond the > capability of anyone not trained in SQL Server. THAT is my point. Things > happen. Handling those things requires training. > > If this firewall sits in the corner and never needs to be touched, then we > are back to "give me a disk that I can install it with" and I will do so. > You can't have it both ways, either it is no maintenance and I can just load > the disk and go (and leave it humming in the corner for the next 10 years), > or things happen and I will have to deal with them. I don't WANT to deal > with them. > > >Without the screen shots, the document itself is less than 30 pages. > > In none of your emails so far have you offered up this document, in fact you > seemed to indicate it was not really in a state to share. Do you need a > place to post it? I just happen to have a brand new web site (part of what > I spend MY time doing) where I can offer a page to you to put this document > on if you care to publish it. I can also put the document itself up with a > hotlink for anyone who desires to do so can download the entire thing. > > I am always happy to help you assist anyone who is interested in doing > something like this. > > John W. Colby > www.ColbyConsulting.com > > Contribute your unused CPU cycles to a good cause: > http://folding.stanford.edu/ > > > Actually, using a "live" CD it WOULD be trivial to build a frewall based on > a "boot CD". But would you REALLY want to? Think about it. That "live" CD > wouldn't have updates on it. This means you'd have to have > new "live" CD every time that you wanted to update the OS on the firewall. > This is a non-starter without some sort of subscription service. This sorta > defeats the whole purpose. > > Without the screen shots, the document itself is less than 30 pages. > The screen shots themselves take up alot of real estate in the document. > The screen shots were done with useability in mind. How many times have you > read a book on something and though, "I wish I could see what they were > talking about"? These screen shots obviate that statement. > > You misunderstand. You think I am taking it personal. I'm not. > However when someone that doesn't do this for a living tries to correct me > on something that I do on a daily basis, I will correct them. Just as I'd > expect that you would if I were to make some off-base development comment. > You are the one that seems close-minded about this, without even having seen > the document, I might add. > -- > AccessD mailing list > AccessD at databaseadvisors.com > http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/accessd > Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com > > You've OBVIOUSLY never dealt with web based e-mail clients. I was answering you via web mail from my ISP rather than answering from home. Web based e-mail doesn't always support signatures. Once again, you judge long before you have the facts in and attempt to assert your superiority based on your "facts. -- Frank Tanner III <pctech at mybellybutton.com>