On Sun, Oct 4, 2009 at 9:07 PM, Chris Bennett
<chris@bennettconstruction.biz> wrote:
quoted text
> Theo de Raadt wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> Nope, not B at B all. B It was just an idea tossed out to:
>>>>> B  - see if it had any merit
>>>>> B  - perhaps spark some other thoughts on how to increase CD purchases
>>>>> B  - or to get flamed
>>>>>
>>>>> Its obvious which one you chose.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I don't believe you. B You suggested it because you only thought of
>>>> your own benefit, not of the amount of work others would have to do.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Perhaps not everyone who uses OpenBSD has your depth of understanding
>>> of all these processes, Theo.  You're obviously intimately acquainted
>>> with them,  but it is possible Rod might not have been.
>>>
>>> You make very salient points about the suggestion being completely
>>> unfeasable, but it seems quite possible that Rod thought he was making
>>> a simple suggestion to solve a perceived problem.  Reading between the
>>> lines,  it seems likely that Rod is also a subscriber to the disc set
>>> and might perhaps feel a little taken aback at the vehemence of the
>>> response.
>>>
>>> And yes,  it might be that he's just some schmoe with a mate who's
>>> gonna give him this password he's suggesting...  But to assume that
>>> would also assume a much greater depth of thought than you've
>>> otherwise attributed.
>>>
>>
>> You're right.  Everything else which we do is so complicated, so why
>> can't we coordinate 50+ people we don't know to setup special accounts
>> on their ftp servers.  Why can't we do something so trivial?  Must be
>> simple resistance.
>>
>> Or we must be utterly incompetent morons to not be able to do that!
>> Good god! We're such morons, why trust us for anything at all.
>>
>> I am just plain fed up with the bullshit you cowards spew.
>>
>>
>>
>
> Well, I just don't care when you let it out.
> Wait another month if you want to.
>
> I only run official releases on my server, and 4.5, 4.4, 4.3, 4.2 and 4.1
> never seemed even slightly "broken" to me!
>
> Things will be better with 4.6. Looking forward to it.
> But if someone simply MUST have a new feature, -current works just fine on
> my desktop.
>
> Thanks Theo and developers!
>
> Chris Bennett
>
>

I've never had a production version of OpenBSD crash for something
that wasn't my fault or due to unsupported hardware.  That's a
testament to OpenBSD's stability and the quality of the work.

I certainly agree with Theo on this one - when you start hiding
things, people find ways around.  Look at the number of WGA hacks on
the Internet - it's because Microsoft sought to proactively protect
their IP by blocking it from undesirable people.  Such efforts served
only to make such undesirables try harder, and when they apply this
kind of passion 99% of the time they will succeed - even if you change
it again it will again be broken.

Microsoft jacked up their prices - people stopped paying and started
pirating.  Microsoft put blocks on their software in an attempt to
prevent piracy, the pirates tried harder.  Building walls to keep
people in only serves to make them try harder to get over them.  Make
a system impenetrable to pirates, and a better pirate will come along
and break it, and all they have to do is share this solution to make
your "impenetrable" system useless.  There's always a bigger fish, and
if you keep trying to block them, you'll end up in an endless arms
race against them.  It doesn't get any simpler than that.

Kudos to Theo and the team for sticking to their principles and
releasing a fully functional OS without restrictions, without
barriers, without any form of encumberment.  I will buy a CD set when
my finances allow me to, you have my word.

Thanks for being awesome.

--
Aaron Mason - Programmer, open source addict
- Oh, why does everything I whip leave me?