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Date:      Fri, 9 Jun 2000 12:56:03 -0400 (EDT)
From:      mi@privatelabs.com
To:        Maxim Sobolev <sobomax@FreeBSD.org>
Cc:        freebsd-ports@FreeBSD.org
Subject:   Re: ports/19047: net/arpwatch patched to use tmpfile() instead of   mktemp()
Message-ID:  <200006091656.MAA14702@misha.privatelabs.com>
In-Reply-To: <3941100C.D85F0FCF@FreeBSD.org>

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On  9 Jun, Maxim Sobolev wrote:
= mi@privatelabs.com wrote:
= 
= > On  9 Jun, sobomax@FreeBSD.org wrote:
= > = Synopsis: net/arpwatch patched to use tmpfile() instead of mktemp()
= > =
= > = State-Changed-From-To: open->closed
= > = State-Changed-By: sobomax
= > = State-Changed-When: Fri Jun 9 00:24:07 PDT 2000
= > = State-Changed-Why:
= > = Another patch committed. Anyway thanks for reporting and please in
= > = the future  try to  be more  cooperative and  keep your  ego under
= > = control.
= > =
= > = http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/query-pr.cgi?pr=19047
= >
= > I maintain,  there was  nothing wrong  with my patch  on any  of the
= > Operating Systems in scope.
= 
= Are you a  new FreeBSD Security Officer? Sorry, but  I do not remember
= anything relevant committed into CVSROOT/access....

Please spare the poor taste pseudo-sarcasm. I agree that there might, in
fact, be operating  systems out there on which tmpfile  is dangerous. It
is however  not dangerous on  the three  operating systems that  use the
ports (Open, Net, and FreeBSD) -- and Kris seems to agree with that. And
the tmpfile's man page says just that.  And both, you and Ade don't seem
to disagree.

This  is NOT  a security  issue. It  is the  ports issue.  If it  is the
FreeBSD's  ports  system's  ambition  to  provide  patches,  which  will
(safely) work  on all/most other  systems, then  a lot of  other patches
have to  be reviewed. I was  not, however, aware that  following such an
ambition is a _requirement_ for the  patches and in this particular case
I  believe it  results in  duplicating  code. The  tone used  by Ade  to
persuade me added a non-technical reason to the purely technical reasons
I put into my first response to you.

= > My  earlier reference  to my  ego was  to explain  my reluctance  to
= > compromise  in that  particular case,  not to  admit a  flaw in  the
= > patch.
= 
= Do you know the following old  Russian saying: "If several people told
= you that  you are drunk  then it  is better to  go sleep, even  if you
= absolutely sure that  you are not" (translation may not  be ideal, but
= you should get my point).

The use of sayings is alway fun and amusing. For example, how about:

	Whenever  you find  that  you  are on  the  side of  the
	majority, it is time to reform. 

by Mark Twain?

	-mi




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