On Thu, April 9, 2015 13:12, zep wrote:
> frankly, this blows my mind. not long ago there was a huge kerfuffle
> over the change to only allow (as someone defined it 'secure') certain
> passwords, requiring numbers, special characters, some minimum length
> and that -had to be done- because people didn't use proper passwords
> and couldn't be trusted to just use what was appropriate/correct
> for their environment.
>
> now a completely reverse the position, plain text showing user names
> to the world (which has always been considered to be poor security
> at best) is just 'yeah, whatever you feel like doing. go ahead.'
>
User interface decisions are never driven by security. If security is
mentioned then it is used as a fig-leaf to shut down dissent.
Security when applied to these sorts of decisions is the patriotism of
the FOSS world. The last refuge of scoundrels who have no desire to
admit error and wish no discomfort from making any.
The actual reasons for change usually come down to the aesthetic
values of a small group of developers, or often a single individual,
with the power to impose their vision on the rest of humanity. And
the desire to do so. I cannot imagine why. . .
--
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