Alan Cox wrote: >> to access my machine at all. I don't run Apache, sshd, or any other >> server which would allow ingress to my machine. I've never have anyone >> even attempt to get root access but me. > > Most modern attacks are against web browsers so your logic is a bit > flawed. Not flawed, but also not completely presented. You do have a point. However, my browser configuration is reasonable as well. There are always the exploits of unrepaired defects, of course. I try to keep my browser up to date as much as possible. Most of the attacks are aimed somewhat at Windows systems, however, so even if some software got loaded on my machine which I didn't request (so far none), it most likely couldn't actually execute on my machine. I don't permit scripts to run on my browser. To keep a little privacy, I also don't permit cookies, though they aren't really a threat to the machine's security. No FLASH, no multimedia. My e-mail reader is set not to permit scripts nor to allow loading of images nor loading of files. It also isn't permitted to open links. So, without scripts or FLASH (which has had a number of security flaws, I believe) or other multimedia "plugins" to exploit, I haven't had a problem with stuff getting sent to my machine w/o my knowledge and consent. >> Perhaps you should investigate LFS (Linux From Scratch). It isn't >> that hard to build your own custom system which has exactly what >> you want on it, no more and no less. > > With the proviso that you also then need to do your own security updates, > package management and each one you do that is untested by others is in > turn adding to the probability of flaws. That's certainly true. I haven't claimed that the producers of the various distros don't do a "value added". > Fedora is quite probably not the right basepoint to build a very small > mini-distro but I'm not sure LFS is the right way to go about it either. Depends upon one's goals, I suppose. Gentoo is one way to have some reasonable control, as well, and puts less responsibility upon the system owner. Since I was a professional software developer for more than twenty years, building from scratch and doing package management and version control are not in any way daunting to me. I have written a small RTOS, and supported three other hard real time systems over a period of fifteen years, so fiddling around with kernels and device drivers also isn't scary. However, discussing the relative merits of various distros is likely not really germane to the Fedora list. Mike -- p="p=%c%s%c;main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}";main(){printf(p,34,p,34);} Oppose globalization and One World Governments like the UN. This message made from 100% recycled bits. You have found the bank of Larn. I speak only for myself, and I am unanimous in that! -- users mailing list users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe or change subscription options: https://admin.fedoraproject.org/mailman/listinfo/users Guidelines: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Mailing_list_guidelines