On Tue, 2014-10-14 at 13:29 -0400, James B. Byrne wrote: > I apologize in advance for the subject and length of this reply. I debated > just letting things pass without comment. But, security has many levels. And > the first level is recognition of the threat. Bravo Mr Byrne. Well expressed. ...... the first level of GOOD SECURITY is recognition of the threat. I have always been convinced Windoze 95 was designed to be invaded by 'approved' sources. I remember my often sad, frustrating days with bug-filled Windoze 95 and 98 (never went pass these) and seeing the existence of the 'history' files that users could not view because the M$ software prevented all user scrutiny of these files and associated directories on the user's own computer. I was also curious why the instant the computer connected with 'The Internet', Micro$oft would automatically start recording, on the user's own computer, all details of that Internet connection and, I assume, the traffic too. However M$ deliberately prevented users viewing that material in Windoze. Remember Word98, Excel98 etc. (I think it was) and the secret embedding of the user's M$ data (Windows serial number etc.) in those files ? When I installed Windoze 8 on a news reporter's girl friend's computer, M$ wanted, yes it insisted, on her email address, her gender, the area she lived, her email address and I can't remember if M$ also demanded her date of birth. As part of the Windoze registration process M$ sent her an email to confirm the accuracy of her email address. Don't forget M$, as part of the Windoze registration, records the serial number of the network card, the hard disk, the motherboard etc. etc. Conversely Centos does none of that .... yet. Knowing a wee bit about Uncle Sam, it is going to be inevitable that the USA government pressurises RedHat to provide backdoor access. It is not 'never' but simply when if they haven't already tried. Ebay registration in Holland, Europe, insists on a telephone number which it calls to give the new user an acceptance code to type-in. Seems an email address is not sufficient information. Google is the biggest spying operation in the world, excluding the USA government (military and security community). Despite all the spying the USA government ignored the Islamic State threat in the so-called 'Middle East' for almost a year .... obviously western people are more interesting to spy on than genuine terrorists murdering civilians every day of the week. Randy suggestions made by teenagers to each other are much more important to the ever-listening USA government than tackling active terrorists. Every router has a backdoor or 'technical support' access. The existence is not always mentioned in manuals. Every USA virus checker allows USA government viruses through. Yes, the secret organisations are protecting us against 911 but when the CIA knew about it in advance from a conversion in the Bahamas made by a drunk in a bar (dismissed at the time by the USA) and a telephone call from a prisoner in a German jail (don't know the USA's inaction excuse after receiving that tip-off), one wonders how efficient they really are. Snowden's material showed the USA military murdering civilians (the video from the helicopter and the machine gunning without cause of the civilians). No wonder the USA will not participate in the International Criminal Court in Den Haag, Nederland. I am not a terrorist and I do object to the UK government letting the USA and Google et al snop on UK residents. The UK is the USA's biggest external (outside the USA) spying base/processing centre in the world. Yes catch the really bad people but stop storing enormous amounts of personal data on the innocent people. Ever wondered why HDDs are so cheap ? Its because the USA government buys them by the factory load ! What for ? Recording all your personal data of course. Have a nice day people and wonder how many times in a single day is Uncle Sam and affiliates storing new personal data on you and your family. Hey Uncle Sam knows more about you than you know about yourself. >From personal experience, they sometimes get it wrong - correcting it is almost impossible because one normally never ever knows. -- Regards, Paul. England, EU. Who watches The Watchers ?