[CentOS] SELinux threads, cynicism, one-upmanship, etc.

Thu Nov 17 18:54:04 UTC 2005
Bryan J. Smith <thebs413 at earthlink.net>

Les Mikesell <lesmikesell at gmail.com> wrote:
> Accepting the blame remotely isn't quite the same as
working
> at the same place for a decade or more and having to live
> with what you built.

If I hadn't left my first salaried job years ago, I'd
probably still be there.  I was there 3 years and _did_ have
to live with what I built.  I made 2 major mistakes in that
time, and accepted full responsibility.

That was in the aerospace industry.  At the time, there were
7 dead astronaunts, so I don't play CYA games. 
Unfortunately, many people still do -- as well as political
games -- and that's why there are 7 more dead astronauts.

But yes, since then, I've found a niche as a contractor.

Now I will readily point out that I get _repeat_ business
over the years from the same, past clients -- including my
former employers where I held salaried positions.  Two
clients are large, Fortune 100** companies.

[ **Oh God, I know someone's going to complain about
credentials yet again. ;-]

In 1 case, I left over something, and then was brought back
later in a serious admission of "yes, you told us so."

> Your rants on the side of security vs. convenience

What "rant"?  I've seen other people who have the same
position *I*.  ;->  Don't confuse what some others have said
from _any_ viewpoint with what I have said.  ;->  I have
continually stated that there are reasons for SELinux, and I
don't agree with the "absolutism" of _either_ side.

But RBAC/MAC is a necessity that you can't ignore.  And if
you're waiting for the fantasy that it won't break things,
then you're living in the same fantasy world that a deny all
outgoing policy default on a firewall "just works."  ;->

> would be more believable if you added that you did all of
> your own work under such conditions and planned to continue
> for the foreseeable future.

So until then, my statements don't hold any merit?  My rant
_was_ about contractors and their clients.  All my former
clients hold me in high regard -- and I still consult for
every former employer I had a salaried position with (one was
for 2 years, another was for 3 years).

Please don't belittle my statements.  I was trying to offer
insight.  I'm glad people can find positions for 10+ years. 
With exception of my very first, salaried employer, I've been
in post-2000 rut of employers who just don't have openings.

-- Bryan

P.S.  SIDE NOTE:  I started my first salaried position I
currently hold now 2 months ago.  It's a small company and I
could be gone tomorrow because of budget constraints.  I do
more engineering now, and I have left the IT consulting world
for a time.  But I still help former clients when I can. 
Since our systems are used to secure emergency
communications, security is the natural part of our products.


-- 
Bryan J. Smith                | Sent from Yahoo Mail
mailto:b.j.smith at ieee.org     |  (please excuse any
http://thebs413.blogspot.com/ |   missing headers)