bastille setup concerns

[Jonathan Hutchins]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Eric Gilliland [mailto:jegilliland at hotmail.com]

> Actually, I was planning to read the docs for Bastille before 
> starting it.  
> If I was really the MS market, I wouldn't even be putting up 
> with the hassle 
> of trying to learn linux, I'd just update to XP and go about 
> my merry, 
> clueless way, wouldn't I?

Ah, Eric, don't take it too hard, you're taking flack for some forerunners
who espouse easy and simple configuration, an effortless transition from the
borg to those who are here to help you...

We're just goading you in the right direction, fairly confident that since
you're here already you won't require much correction, and strong urging
will appear as mere encouragement.

Seriously, though, I'd start with something that didn't make too many
security decisions for you.  I'd keep backups, and be prepared to learn by
experience.  And I would avoid pre-packaged configurations and tools like
webadmin and linuxconf.

Now that would seem like hypocrisy to some elder purists, since I started
with RedHat and moved to Mandrake, rather than Slackware and Debian.  But
still, I have regressed toward the more standard Unix configuration and
security procedures, rather than allow the Microsoft cloners to take control
for me.  

I think you'll be happiest in the end if you stick to the text-based control
files , eschew all configuration utils, and make sure you know why you make
each choice you make.