Re: Linux, X, ld, gcc, linking, shared libraries and stuff

Frankie say:
> AFAIK, this isn't "hard wired". Poke around /etc/rc.d/ -
> looks like rc.M that does this on my system. I think if you
> comment out a couple of lines, you'll boot without any
> network awareness. Not sure why you'd want to... security, I
> suppose - for *ultimate* security, just leave the power
> switch off :)

Yes, good point...

Be aware that many of those "services" which start while booting up are not
"hard-wired" in any way...

As Frank says, there's a "configuration file" which simply lists "services
to start up at boot-time"...all Linux is doing is booting up these "startup
services" in the list as it boots up...

By the way, don't be fooled by the Windows logo while Windows boots up:
It's doing exactly the same...the difference is that Linux is very
configurable about this, while Windows does much of it "automatically" and
"behind your back"...

Pop into "control panel" -> "administrative tools" -> "services" and you
can see what "services" Windows has and hasn't started in the background
while it was booting up...it's a good idea to go through these "services"
and check what they actually do with Google...

Windows has a terrible thing in that it has lots of pointless "services" -
some of which are inherently dangerous ("Universal Plug and Play", if I
recall correctly, has had some CIA "warning" issued on it because it's
"enabled" by default but considered "dangerous" in this state, as a rarely
used service - chances are, you'll never need it for any legitimate purpose
as an ordinary "home user" - but which can be "exploited" to do "nasty
things", apparently) - that come "enabled" by default...

But, basically, they are both doing exactly the same thing, in
fact...indeed, if you're now thinking "I don't like that!" when Linux
_SHOWS_ you what's happening then stop to realise that Windows is doing
much the same thing but _ISN'T_ telling you about it...hence, don't condemn
Linux simply because it's being _HONEST_ to actually let you _KNOW_ that
this is happening...

If you use KDE mostly, then you might interested in this:

http://www.simonzone.com/software/guarddog/

Which is basically just a GUI interface for configuring the Linux "built-in
firewall" (iptables) via a dialogue box...so you can control what's going
on with the built-in firewall without becoming some great "expert" in it
all...and uses an icon of a cute dog to do it too, which is a nice
"bonus"...

[ Needs to be run as "root" - for obvious reasons, as you're messing around
with "system settings" - but you can, you know, set as "run as root" on the
icon for a password box to appear...or do that "chmod" thing Frank showed
before, so it always runs with "root" permissions... ]

There are other "dogs" in the series: http://www.simonzone.com/software/
but "guidedog" probably isn't useful (it's for controlling "weird advanced
connections"...redirection, proxies and so forth ;) and "watchdog" (which
is intended to let you monitor the "logs" in a convenient way :) isn't
really finished...but the dog icons are cute, anyway, and they are cool
names for the programs :)...

> Beth's suggestion of killing it with "ifconfig" is probably
> better...

Well, you can do it "dynamically"...which can be useful...

> Just a case of sacrificing the right chicken! :)

Yeah; This is the real problem...it's all "configuration files" and "voodoo
black magic chicken sacrifice"...

It's all in there...and it's all good stuff...but, you know: "how the frack
do I get any of this to work?!?" ;)...

Beth :)


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