[TAG] (forw) Re: (forw) Re: (forw) Re: lpr works for user not root in Basiclinux 2.1

[Rick Moen]

Quoting Sindi Keesan (keesan at grex.cyberspace.org):

> We were told to use a firewall only if networking two computers together 
> to use one as a gateway so we could go online with both.

There have been many flamewars over such topics, not to mention people
going around having trying to use "firewalls" (by which they mean
IP/port filters, as opposed to other meanings of that term) as a
cure-all talisman to ward off all possible badness, which of course
doesn't work -- so you will perhaps forgive Thomas and me for carefully
avoiding overbroad statements.  It really is true that the sort of
filters, if any, that suit your situation depend on your situation.

> If my questions are ridiculous to you it is only because I really don't 
> understand much of this.

Not ridiculous, but sometimes a _bit_ scattershot.  Technical people tend to
learn over time that a sprinkling of apparently ill-aimed questions are
often a sign of someone who isn't _really_ seeking the information
specified, but rather is just pumping out questions in semi-random
directions in an enegetic attempt to overcome lack of knowledge of the
basics.  When technical people spot that pattern, they often react by 
ceasing to minutely address the questions as posed, and instead urge the
questioner to master those basics first, so that subsequent questions 
can be more focussed, and use everyone's time better.

> All I was trying to do when I wrote to TAG was find a way for people
> to print from Opera and Abiword without having to learn to change
> permissions all over the place to run them as user, not to learn all
> about networking and firewalls and port scanners.

Unfortunately (speaking for myself, at least, possibly others), when
someone tells me "No, it really _is_ OK for me to run routinely as root,
because my system's designed for it", my willingness to help,
particularly with security, goes way down.  This naturally is no
reflection on you personally.