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Date:      Tue, 24 Apr 2001 10:43:18 +0100
From:      Rasputin <rara.rasputin@virgin.net>
To:        questions@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: firewall stuff
Message-ID:  <20010424104318.A35009@dogma.freebsd-uk.eu.org>
In-Reply-To: <04eb01c0cc43$b8b79cd0$0400a8c0@oracle>; from dougy@bryden.apana.org.au on Tue, Apr 24, 2001 at 08:21:10AM %2B1000
References:  <00d301c0cb87$0dee2bf0$0400a8c0@oracle> <01042222580500.00281@mark9.vladsempire.net> <3AE386CC.608B59B4@ifour.com.br> <020d01c0cbba$e03047f0$0400a8c0@oracle> <3AE4A6C4.3B96B701@nisser.com> <04eb01c0cc43$b8b79cd0$0400a8c0@oracle>

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* Doug Young <dougy@bryden.apana.org.au> [010423 23:23]:

> > The reason I'd picked OpenBSD was indeed its focus on security. Whether
> > or not that is such a big deal in reality was a moot point. It made
> > for a great marketing USP ;).

> Yeah ... thats what attracted me too, although general feedback on the
> subject indicates that its possibly overrated. Its not that my systems hold
> particularly valuable data, all I want to achieve is blocking as many evil types as
> possible.

What surprises me is that they push heavily on the
'secure by default' - as in 'we don't start anything by default'.
Surely once you try to bring up a usable system, you've
'voided your warranty'?

I notice the 'no local exploits in the default install' on
the main website went to
'only 1 local exploit in the default install'
until finally it vanished :)

Don't get me wrong, OpenBSD has put some good technology into the public domain
(bcrypt in particular is long overdue) but most of these advances get merged
inot Free|Net BSD anyway.  bcrypt is in freebsd-current  at present I think.

OpenBSd is certainly marketed as more secure, but I haven't seen a *huge* of 
innovations we don't have. bcrypt, password.conf etc not withstanding.

I think the distinction comes from a:
"What's the difference between Net / Free/Open BSD?"

To which the answer is:

NetBSD - runs on everything. Toasters, doorbells, the lot.
OpenBSD - built like a tank. Sucky SMP support.
FreeBSD - fastest i386 OS on the planet. Doesn't run on much else though.

I just wish people didn't insist on using these one-liners
as the basis for writing articles at places like ZDNet....
-- 
Any clod can have the facts, but having an opinion is an art.
		-- Charles McCabe
Rasputin :: Jack of All Trades - Master of Nuns ::

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