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| French Police Migrating to OpenOffice.org |
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Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 09:21 AM EST
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You can read the news in English, French, or German -- French police ("la Gendarmerie Nationale française") will be switching to OpenOffice.org from Microsoft Office, according to the French industry news service Toolinux:By the end of January some 35,000 PCs and workstations are to be equipped with the open source office suite; by this summer the number is to reach 80,000. The French police expect to be able to cut costs amounting to more than two million euros by this move. Maybe they are thinking about security issues, which you can read about in this article about how Linux is getting harder to crack (a new Honeynet Project study shows it now takes up to three months to compromise a default Linux installation, compared to mere hours for unpatched Windows, according to tests by Symantec last year), or in this Linux Journal article, "Linux in Government: How Security Exploits Threaten Government Infrastructures" by Tom Adelstein, which I found on Novell's website. They have been providing some fine antiFUD and informative material there. On their website today, for example, you can find the following:
Migrating to Linux the Novell Way
IE Flaw Threat Hits the Roof
Novell, Mandrake Respond to Sun's Red Hat ClaimsUnbending the Truth -- Things Microsoft Hopes You Won't Notice, Novell's answer to Microsoft's Get the Facts page. You have to love the url: http://www.novell.com/linux/truth/ There is plenty more where that came from. Update: Readers are pointing out that a more recent study shows that you only have minutes, not hours, before your unpatched Windows computer is owned.
If you are using Windows XP SP2, there is this news about the firewall and file and print sharing configuration you'll want to be aware of, as well, contributed by reader Asynchronous. And that's not even talking about spyware. Speaking of spyware, researcher Ben Edelman tested a brand new computer to see what would happen if he downloaded one media file:
I recently tested a WindowsMedia video file, reportedly circulating through P2P networks, that displays a misleading pop-up which in turn attempts to install unwanted software onto users' computers. . . .
On a fresh test computer, I pressed Yes once to allow the installation. My computer quickly became contaminated with the most spyware programs I have ever received in a single sitting, including at least the following 31 programs: 180solutions, Addictive Technologies, AdMilli, BargainBuddy, begin2search, BookedSpace, BullsEye, CoolWebSearch, DealHelper, DyFuca, EliteBar, Elitum, Ezula, Favoriteman, HotSearchBar, I-Lookup, Instafin, Internet Optimizer, ISTbar, Megasearch, PowerScan, ShopAtHome Select, SearchRelevancy, SideFind, TargetSavers, TrafficHog, TV Media, WebRebates, WindUpdates, Winpup32, and VX2 (DirectRevenue). (Most product names are as detected by Lavasoft Ad-Aware.) All told, the infection added 58 folders, 786 files, and an incredible 11,915 registry entries to my test computer. Not one of these programs had showed me any license agreement, nor had I consented to their installation on my computer. Can you imagine? 11, 915 registry entries from saying Yes to one popup.
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| Authored by: Anonymous on Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 09:28 AM EST |
| The usual OT stuff here, please. Clickable links if you have them. [ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: Anonymous on Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 09:29 AM EST |
I'd like to point out that Gendermarie != Police.
The Gendarmerie is technically part of the French Army and not its police
forces.
[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: trevorteusc on Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 09:34 AM EST |
| I guess that I'll continue to eat 'French' fries after all........ [ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: Anonymous on Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 10:14 AM EST |
http://www.novell.com/linux/truth/better_choice.html
CLAIM: The distributive nature of Linux and OSS make it difficult to receive or
even be aware of security patches and vulnerabilities.
The "FACTS" are nothing more than "well, Microsoft sucks".
Where are the patch databases, arranged by application and severity? Sun has
them (sunsolve.sun.com), but does RedHat or Debian keep them on line?[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: cjb on Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 10:31 AM EST |
| Bruce Schneier just posted
a link to a paper breaking the RC4 encryption Microsoft uses on Word and
Excel documents. He points out that they've made the same mistake before, reusing the keystream for a stream cipher.
-
Chris. [ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: Steve on Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 10:40 AM EST |
For what it's worth, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka
Mormons, headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah) made OpenOffice.org a default
part of the installation of every new computer shipped to local churches
beginning last summer (they're going through a huge upgrade cycle and switching
from "local congregations buy whatever they can" to standardized deals
with HP and Dell). When it's done, that will be over 26,000 new computers, with
ordinary people (local clerks and leaders) possibly saying to themselves
"Hey, if this free software stuff is good enough to run our congregation
on, it's certainly good enough to use at home."
The computers still run Windows for the Church's internal applications, but at
least OO.org is what people will get when they want to create, say, a newsletter
or flyer.
Moreover, I'm pretty sure that OO.org will be on the new computers going in to
their genealogy/family history centers, which are visited every day around the
world by thousands of people with no connection to the Church itself. That's
several thousand more computers and some pretty good publicity for FOSS.
---
IAALBIANYL[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: tizan on Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 10:45 AM EST |
Its not clear if they re migrating to OO on microsoft OS or on Linux.
But any ways its very good news and i think that's the way peple will go to the
Linux Desktop...
e.g Novell is porting evolution to MS windows...
So people will ultimately be familiar with OSS tools on windows that it wont be
a big deal to just change the OS to be more secure.
Its a bit bit the long way to migrate to Linux but many people are so afraid to
take the whole dive.
---
tizan: What's the point of knowledge if you don't pass it on. Its like storing
all your data on a 1-bit write only memory ![ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: Anonymous on Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 10:51 AM EST |
Don't know just how you've got the 'mere hours' figure.
The last study I saw said that an 'as installed' Windows
box is likely to survive for 20 minutes on the public
internet (this was good, 12 months before it was just 15
minutes). [ Reply to This | # ]
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- Four minutes is the last I heard. - Authored by: Asynchronous on Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 11:05 AM EST
- Here's the linkage.. - Authored by: Asynchronous on Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 11:08 AM EST
- Windows secure time - Authored by: feldegast on Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 11:09 AM EST
- Groan.... - Authored by: Asynchronous on Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 11:54 AM EST
- Groan.... - Authored by: PJ on Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 04:27 PM EST
- I second that - it's measured in minutes, not hours. Spoof press release ;-) - Authored by: cheros on Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 11:55 AM EST
- Seconds actually - Authored by: Anonymous on Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 12:25 PM EST
- Windows secure time - Authored by: Anonymous on Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 12:33 PM EST
- My unprotected XP box consistently lasted... - Authored by: Anonymous on Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 02:37 PM EST
- Windows secure time - Authored by: Anonymous on Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 03:38 PM EST
- Windows secure time: 1 minute - Authored by: RedBarchetta on Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 04:16 PM EST
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| Authored by: Anonymous on Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 11:04 AM EST |
I use Fedora Core 1 and 3 behind an SMC 7004VBR router on a dsl connection. My
security update procedure is to type 'yum update' every now and then. How bad or
good is this procedure?[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: dclayton on Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 11:11 AM EST |
Linux is great on desktop or server but if needed OO.o will also run on
MSWindows. I am sure it runs on Solaris and probably other unix as well. I am
not sure how well it runs on Macs. It is very important for a company or
goverment to own their data![ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: BC on Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 11:13 AM EST |
I see that Novell is referencing a Groklaw article comment in the User Comments
at the bottom of the Patent Page.
Unfortunately the link is mis-coded and doesn't work.[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: Anonymous on Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 12:48 PM EST |
I find it interesting that Novell's defense of Linux is based on a Yankee Group
study. So even Yankee Group rates Linux higher for certain groups or apps over
MS - interesting.[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: Darkelve on Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 01:19 PM EST |
Here they reply to Ballmers infamous e-mail to customers:
http://www.novell.com/linux/truth/response.html[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: Anonymous on Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 01:46 PM EST |
When is Jonathon Schwartz going to answer those questions we submitted? If he
waits much longer, half the q's will be out of date.[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: Anonymous on Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 01:59 PM EST |
| For those who don't understand crypto: The existence of two documents encrypted
with a stream cipher and the same stream allows you to xor the two encypted
documents with each other. Then you end up with the a document that's the two
plain-text documents xor'd with each other. Still not plain-text but orders of
magnitude easier to decrypt than the encypted version.
It's basicly the same
thing as reusing a one-time-pad. Don't do this kids. Not even with adult
supervision ;-) [ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: TAZ6416 on Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 03:35 PM EST |
I got caught speeding in France just before Christmas, if they still ran
Microsoft Office I still had a chance of escaping a fine when Word crashed while
printing my summons off. ;)
Jonathan
~~~~~~~~
I Wasn't Joking ;) - http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/palmickeydoesdlp/[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: Anonymous on Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 04:37 PM EST |
The gendarmes are military people, with military ranks, and units usually
(AFAIK) belonging to a regiment. They are not like the military police, however,
and have the same role as the police. Historically police forces are deployed in
cities and gendarmeries are in the country side (because regiments are in the
country side, simple practical thing).
Is't it the same in the US with the rangers ? That's the impression I have, at
least, from US TV-series :-)
So it's not all the french police forces who migrate to OpenOffice.org but only
a fraction of them. Unfortunately I don't know how many gendarmes vs policemen
there are.
HTH,
Stephane[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: fudisbad on Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 08:49 PM EST |
With Microsoft(R) Windows(R) XP, malware is installed automatically for you. No
clicks, no annoying dialog boxes. Just one of the many reasons to choose
Microsoft(R) Windows(R) XP!
---
See my bio for copyright details re: this post.
This subliminal message has been brought to you by Microsoft.[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: hardcode57 on Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 09:52 PM EST |
I expect that someone else has already said it, but OpenOffice exists in a Win32
version, and very good it is too, so there is no reason to assume they've gone
over to Linux (or any other *nix).
Apart from the real cost savings, they will be especially keen to ensure that
they don't get locked into a patented proprietary document file format. M$
really shit themselves in the foot with that one.[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: Glamdrlng on Wednesday, January 19 2005 @ 08:36 AM EST |
Speaking of Novell, SuSe has gotten more and more polished since Novell bought
them. My current project at work is setting up two
Postfix/Amavis/SpamAssassin/ClamAV boxes, and installing them under Suse Linux
Enterprise Server 9 was a breeze. It's literally a matter of checking those four
apps during install and configuring Postfix before you're up and running. Doing
this install from scratch involves creating dedicated users,
creating/chmoding/chowning directories, and going through config files with a
fine-toothed comb before things are working for you. Not impossible by any
means, but the SLES install is clean, simple, and it Just Works(tm). I highly
recommend it for anyone building a spam-blocking mail gateway.[ Reply to This | # ]
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