[sf-lug] Notes from the SF-LUG meeting of November 5, 2017

[Bobbie Sellers]

On 11/05/2017 08:50 PM, Rick Moen wrote:
> Quoting Bobbie Sellers (bliss-sf4ever at dslextreme.com):
>
>> Some machines may have problems with the USB and Flash Drives.
> They indeed might, but far fewer than would have problems with optical
> disks, which as you point out suffer drive alignment problems, and one
> might also point out the problem of bad media and bad burns.  (Note that
> ability to boot from USB has been built into BIOS ROMs since around 20
> years ago.)
>
>> the URL when I have enough time and energy to seriously consider the
>> contents.  But I will point out that Ethernet switches and cables are
>> not free of mass.
> Again, if you are connecting only one machine, no switch is required.
> Second, as an example, this $9 switch weighs 4.5 oz. and is 4" x 3" x 1.2":
> https://www.amazon.com/TRENDnet-Unmanaged-GREENnet-Switching-TE100-S5/dp/B000M2TAN4
>
>> Additionally some users will not care to connect to a machine exposed
>> to malware.
> But somehow it's OK for them to boot optical disks you've burned on that
> _same_ machine that you characterise as 'exposed to malware' -- and
> probably to connect to the global Internet in places like cafes?  That
> makes no sense at all.

     Actually I burn disks on my HP not on the Dell I carry to 
meetings.    I test them on my Dell to avoid rebooting on the HP. The
Dell when online at the meetings is exposed to the Internet.  I am 
behind a router here and my greatest fear is a
a mistake at the upstream repositories..  So far only one kernel was 
balky and when a parameter was removed
from the boot parameters it worked fine.

>
>> There is the matter of time to consider as well as making a disk or
>> even a bootable Flash Drive is time consuming.
> Exactly!  Precisely my point.  Either netbooting or using a USB flash
> drive eliminates all the time burning and using slow optical media.
>
>
     Bobbie