[HN Gopher] Interview of Robert Shingledecker, Tiny Core Linux a...
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Interview of Robert Shingledecker, Tiny Core Linux and DSL
Developer (2009)
Author : transpute
Score : 52 points
Date : 2024-11-30 15:18 UTC (7 hours ago)
(HTM) web link (distrowatch.com)
(TXT) w3m dump (distrowatch.com)
| ghjfrdghibt wrote:
| Prior to my knowledge of Firefox profiles and multiaccount
| containers, I used tiny core to isolate my banking, shopping,
| general browsing, etc; from both each other and my base OS, in
| virtualbox. I preferred it to other small distros like slitaz and
| puppy because it was really bare bones and easy to add to.
|
| Now you'd likely just use docker, or like me profile and
| containers for compartmentalisation; aka super paranoia.
| yjftsjthsd-h wrote:
| To be fair, VMs are a better isolation mechanism; sort of like
| qubes but less extreme.
| nonrandomstring wrote:
| It's a bit of a mindset change, but yeah, you can start to
| think of operating systems not as big frameworks to run lots
| of applications, but as thin wrappers around single
| applications in an ecosystem like qemu+virsh. Clone a fresh
| template, install something in it, talk to it with
| sockets/tcp whatever.
| eduction wrote:
| I think one qubes feature that could be profitably extracted
| are the disposable VMs, particularly for web browsing but
| also as a sort of default jail for potentially dodgy
| software. Like a right click "run this in a disposable vm"
| option in mainstream OSes. And run the built in web browser
| like that by default.
|
| Apple could probably come up with some spiffy branding. "Run
| this on an islandTM" or something like that. Call the feature
| "Archipelago."
| fishgoesblub wrote:
| Introducing: Apple Iceberg(tm) Isolate your apps for
| enhanced security through Secure Containers(tm) on all
| MacOS(tm) systems
| wishfish wrote:
| Wouldn't Windows Sandbox come close? Easy to fire up and it
| all vanishes on exit.
| mikedelfino wrote:
| > I used tiny core to isolate my banking (...) in virtualbox.
|
| A few years ago, I tried something similar--not out of fear
| that malware might steal money from my bank account, but
| because my bank required me to install some kind of security
| software to access their internet banking on a PC. It turned
| out they don't like customers running their software in VMs. My
| account was completely blocked, including my debit card and ATM
| access. I had to visit a physical branch to resolve the issue.
| So I gave up on using internet banking on a PC and switched to
| their mobile app instead.
| matsz wrote:
| Random question but why would you not switch banks? I
| wouldn't want to be a customer of a business that clearly
| doesn't respect me.
| LargoLasskhyfv wrote:
| Opportunity costs of changing stuff, lack of alternatives,
| and if there are, they are probably doing the same shit
| anyways...
| LargoLasskhyfv wrote:
| Does their mobile app run on a rooted device, or just on
| locked down androids and iphones?
| egberts1 wrote:
| Latest Tiny Core Linux is at kernel v6.6.8 now!
| 0xbadcafebee wrote:
| What a fun time that was in the aughts for distros. Hardware was
| rapidly changing and made a lot of new stuff possible. I wonder
| if there are still emerging hardware platforms to inspire kids
| today. I had the most fun when I could combine software with
| hardware, like trying to fit a distro on a floppy, or using the
| business card CDs to boot a distro into RAM, creating thin
| terminal clients, routers, firewalls. Feels more real when
| there's something physical involved.
|
| Also worth noting that the concept Robert discusses of avoiding
| "system rot" is an early example of _immutable infrastructure_ ,
| a game-changing design used to automate fixing state and entropy
| failures in modern systems. Had no idea that's where it would
| lead.
| einpoklum wrote:
| > I wonder if there are still emerging hardware platforms to
| inspire kids today.
|
| I should think so. There are all sorts of interesting SoC's
| with widening capabilities but still always with vastly
| different tradeoffs; and where once you could apply very
| limited programmed control to all sorts of objects, today you
| can run them using a full-fledged computer. There are also more
| "smart" devices which smart people may want to reverse-
| engineers and make generic and customizable - from TVs to
| vaccuum cleaners.
| Cumpiler69 wrote:
| _> I should think so. There are all sorts of interesting SoC_
|
| Why would kids want to play with such things?
|
| I got into computers because that's where "the internet" was,
| where pirated video games were, pirated mp3s and movies, so
| learning some technical stuff came with the territory.
|
| But today kids have all that one touch away. They don't have
| to leave that comfort zone. Back then there were no comfort
| zones. If you wanted (free) entertainment on the PC you had
| to put in the work.
| bastloing wrote:
| That's back during the evolution of the operating system, I
| remember getting CDs of DSL with our console switches. What a
| great time to be building out our massive server rooms! Lots of
| fun back then!
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(page generated 2024-11-30 23:00 UTC)