Arrogance Amongst Certain Linux Users

In this blog post I am going to talk about something that has been a pet peeve of mine for a long time about several people in the Linux community. I want to be clear, I am not anti-opensource (I make use of open-source software every day), nor am I anti-Linux (I am both a Windows and Linux administrator myself and really like Linux on my phone (Android).

Many times, I have read and responded to various Linux users online who have come off as arrogant and think they know everything about operating systems “just because they use Linux”.  Of course, I do not claim to know everything about operating systems myself (there are many more people who know more than I do).

This blog post is not meant to be an attack against Linux users (because, of course, not all Linux users are this way). I am just sharing one of many not-so-great experiences I have had with various people who have used Linux.

Summery of what happened:

  1. A while back, I made a comment on a tech website. In a nutshell, I said “using Linux did not mean that you are completely secure from malware infesting your Linux box”. This is a valid statement. I did not bash or hate on Linux. I enjoy using Linux.
  2. Someone posted a reply to my comment, saying that I had made several wrong points about Linux. He claimed that I said “Windows malware would work on Linux” and I was wrong for saying that.
  3. I responded to him, telling him that his first point he said I was “wrong” about was something that I never said.
  4. I responded – using the bash shell-shocker vulnerability as an example – something being open-source does not mean that it is more secure.
  5. I also responded asking him to show me the points that I got “wrong”, since he didn’t give any valid points. All were just his opinions or straw-man arguments.
  6. He responded back and ignored my question and the issue about putting words into my mouth. He just wanted to talk about how Linux is still secure because people “fix vulnerabilities quickly” for Linux. He basically changed the subject.
  7. He also said the ShellShock vulnerability was fixed within two days.
  8. I told him that the bash shell-shocker vulnerability was in fact not completely fixed in two days. It took a little bit longer.
  9. Now the guy does not respond back.

The bug did not have an official fix until 24 September 2014 (the date when the fix was released to the public). The fix came out almost two weeks after the initial discovery.

Now of course I don’t hate the guy, but what he did was just another example of the problems I have encountered with the Linux community.

He started a technical discussion about a comment I made to someone else 3+ months ago, claimed I said things I didn’t say, and presented his personal opinions as verified facts. When he was confronted with evidence to the contrariety, he decided to “sneak out” and not reply anymore.

I know there are good people in the Linux community, but situations like this make me wonder. Also, other people who may be considering Linux will see various attitudes like this and be turned off by that alone. Not a good way to gain users in my opinion.


Posted in Computers, Internet and Servers, Operating Systems, Society, Software

Ken Ham Responds to the State of Kentucky About Ark Encounter

 

“1 O Lord, oppose those who oppose me.
    Fight those who fight against me.
2 Put on your armor, and take up your shield.
    Prepare for battle, and come to my aid.
3 Lift up your spear and javelin
    against those who pursue me.
Let me hear you say,
    “I will give you victory!”
4 Bring shame and disgrace on those trying to kill me;
    turn them back and humiliate those who want to harm me.
5 Blow them away like chaff in the wind—
    a wind sent by the angel of the Lord.
6 Make their path dark and slippery,
    with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.
7 I did them no wrong, but they laid a trap for me.
    I did them no wrong, but they dug a pit to catch me.
8 So let sudden ruin come upon them!
    Let them be caught in the trap they set for me!
    Let them be destroyed in the pit they dug for me.” – Psalm 35:1-8 NLT


Posted in Christian

Understanding Linux File Permissions

If you are a Linux user, you probably already know about the different Linux file permissions. This is not going to be a comprehensive blog post, but it should still help you understand Linux file permissions if you do not already understand them.

There are three different main groups for Linux permissions (user, group, and world).

——————-

User:  This stands for the user account that owns the file / folder that it is assigned to.

Group:  This stands for the group(s) that are assigned to the file / folder. Groups can be your own private group that you get when your Linux user account is created, and / or can be other people’s and services’ groups as well. Any permissions set here affect **all** groups that are assigned to the file / folder.

World (all users):  This stands for the permissions that *everyone* that has access to the server and *all* services on your server have. Be very careful with this permissions “group”. Setting the “world” permissions to allow writing would mean that *anyone* or *anything* that has access to your server (hacker or no hacker) can now potentially write to your file / folder! Not good!

——————-

When using a terminal (usually via SSH) in Linux, you would have seen file / folder permissions that look something like this:  myfile.txt  rw-rw—  John [owner]   John [group]

rwx——

The “r” above, in the first three letters, tells you that owner of the file / folder has “read” permissions.

The “w” above, in the first three letters, tells you that owner of the file / folder has “write” permissions to the file / folder.

The “x” above, in the first three letters, tell you that that owner of the file / folder has “execute” permissions.

—rwx—

The “r” above, in the middle three letters, tells you that all of the groups assigned to the file / folder has “read” permissions.

The “w” above, in the middle three letters, tells you that all of the groups assigned to the file / folder has “write” permissions to the file.

The “x” above, in the middle three letters, tell you that that all of the groups assigned to the file / folder has “execute” permissions.

——rwx

The “r” above, in the last three letters, tell you that that *everyone* that has access to the computer, and *all* services on the computer, now have “read” permissions to the file / folder.

The “w” above, in the last three letters, tell you that that *everyone* that has access to the computer, and *all* services on the computer, now have “write” permissions to the file / folder.

The “x” above, in the last three letters, tell you that that *everyone* that has access to the computer, and *all* services on the computer, now have “execute” permissions to the file / folder.

——————-

You now should have a basic understanding of the different basic Linux permissions!


Posted in Operating Systems

Five Myths About Christianity

Myth #1:  Everyone who calls himself / herself a Christian, wears a cross necklace, prays “religiously”, and does good works is a true born-again Christian.

This is not true. Many people who call themselves “Christians” are actually not Christians. Instead they are following a satanic counterfeit (false gospel) and are following “another Jesus” (not the Jesus that the Holy Bible talks about).

Any person that claims that you have to do something else such as being baptized or doing sacraments in addition to being saved, is a false teacher (2 Peter 2:1-3).

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ — Matthew 7:21-23 (NASB)

Myth #2:  Christianity is about trying to be perfect.

Actually Christianity is about doing our best to be like Jesus Christ (1 John 2:6), realizing that we will never be perfect until we are in Heaven (2 Corinthians 5:1-6).

Myth #3:  Someone can lose their salvation in Christ Jesus.

The Bible is clear. You cannot lose your salvation.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.” — John 10:27-28 (NASB)

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” — Romans 8:38-39 (NASB)

Myth #4:  Christians cannot trust the Bible’s account of creation, because today’s authoritative scientists says that the earth and universe is billions of years old.

There is no evidence for evolution (evolutionary molecules-to-man,  evolutionary natural selection, etc.).

People have heard of the evolutionary concept of natural selection. Creationists, for the most part, agree with this concept in the sense that animals can be killed off. Here is an example: Two moths are in a forest. One moth is white the other is black. If the birds in the area can see the white moth more easily, then the white moth will most likely not survive, hence killing off the white moth in the forest. However, the evolutionists will take this a step further and say that animals evolve into other types of animals. This is not true.

There is no supporting evidence of any evolutionary natural selection that has occurred, is occurring, or will occur. Nothing has been observed to show that, for example, a cat can eventually evolve into a cat-bird with wings. Dogs give birth to dogs. Cats give birth to cats. Cats do not come from dogs, and dogs do not come from cats. Each animal has a variety in the gene pool for that particular animal, but nothing new is added to the gene pool.

Remember what the Bible says about people who contradict God’s Word:

“Of course not! Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him,

“You will be proved right in what you say,
and you will win your case in court.” – Romans 3:4 NLT

Myth #5:  “Turning from your sins” is apart of obtaining salvation.

The Bible never mentions about “turning from your sins” – trying to stop sinning – as a part of being saved. The Bible says:

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” – Romans 10:9 NLT

Nowhere in that verse says or implies “turning from your sins to be saved”. In other words, you do not have to try to forsake your sins as a part of being saved. That is not Biblical. Unfortunately people who believe this way are not true born-again believers and are bound for Hell.

However if by “turning from your sins” you mean repentance (a change of mind), then that is correct.

Please take note, I am not saying that once you become a true born-again believer, you can just keep on sinning and say to yourself “I can now do anything I want, since I will go to Heaven anyway!”. That is not what I mean. I just want to be clear.


Posted in Christian

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