From owner-freebsd-arch@FreeBSD.ORG  Wed May 23 21:47:59 2007
Return-Path: <owner-freebsd-arch@FreeBSD.ORG>
X-Original-To: freebsd-arch@FreeBSD.ORG
Delivered-To: freebsd-arch@FreeBSD.ORG
Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [69.147.83.52])
	by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id ACC7916A469
	for <freebsd-arch@FreeBSD.ORG>; Wed, 23 May 2007 21:47:59 +0000 (UTC)
	(envelope-from das@FreeBSD.ORG)
Received: from VARK.MIT.EDU (VARK.MIT.EDU [18.95.3.179])
	by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 786F613C48A
	for <freebsd-arch@FreeBSD.ORG>; Wed, 23 May 2007 21:47:59 +0000 (UTC)
	(envelope-from das@FreeBSD.ORG)
Received: from VARK.MIT.EDU (localhost [127.0.0.1])
	by VARK.MIT.EDU (8.14.1/8.13.1) with ESMTP id l4NLNP1n003084;
	Wed, 23 May 2007 17:23:25 -0400 (EDT) (envelope-from das@FreeBSD.ORG)
Received: (from das@localhost)
	by VARK.MIT.EDU (8.14.1/8.13.1/Submit) id l4NLNP6x003083;
	Wed, 23 May 2007 17:23:25 -0400 (EDT) (envelope-from das@FreeBSD.ORG)
Date: Wed, 23 May 2007 17:23:25 -0400
From: David Schultz <das@FreeBSD.ORG>
To: Colin Percival <cperciva@FreeBSD.ORG>
Message-ID: <20070523212325.GA3022@VARK.MIT.EDU>
Mail-Followup-To: Colin Percival <cperciva@FreeBSD.ORG>,
	"freebsd-arch@freebsd.org" <freebsd-arch@FreeBSD.ORG>
References: <46546E16.9070707@freebsd.org>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Disposition: inline
In-Reply-To: <46546E16.9070707@freebsd.org>
Cc: "freebsd-arch@freebsd.org" <freebsd-arch@FreeBSD.ORG>
Subject: Re: RFC: Removing file(1)+libmagic(3) from the base system
X-BeenThere: freebsd-arch@freebsd.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5
Precedence: list
List-Id: Discussion related to FreeBSD architecture <freebsd-arch.freebsd.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-arch>,
	<mailto:freebsd-arch-request@freebsd.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-arch>
List-Post: <mailto:freebsd-arch@freebsd.org>
List-Help: <mailto:freebsd-arch-request@freebsd.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-arch>,
	<mailto:freebsd-arch-request@freebsd.org?subject=subscribe>
X-List-Received-Date: Wed, 23 May 2007 21:47:59 -0000

On Wed, May 23, 2007, Colin Percival wrote:
> Can anyone make a strong argument for keeping this code in the base system?

Removing it from the base system would merely amount to a
marketing ploy, wherein we get to say that FreeBSD has fewer
security holes because file(1) is a "third-party package".  Doing
so wouldn't make FreeBSD installations any more secure in
practice. Virtually everyone would have to install file(1) anyway,
and those who didn't wouldn't care about security holes in it
anyway.  In fact, removing it from the base system could make
FreeBSD's file(1) less secure because developing and disseminating
patches for holes in ports is a lower priority than patching holes
in the base system.