[GRLUG] FYI Linux Red Flag News Release

[Tim Schmidt]

On Thu, Dec 4, 2008 at 2:45 PM, Adam M. Erickson <adam at openfad.com> wrote:
> http://news.cnet.com/8301-13505_3-10113243-16.html?tag=mncol
>
> News hit Slashdot on Wednesday that China is forcing its Internet
> cafes to use licensed copies of Red Flag Linux.
>
> Just another reason I'm a proud American, in a recession or not.

They'll do things the way they see best...  Certainly China is no
human rights champion, but then, neither are we.

We intercept, analyze, and record interesting bits of all internet
traffic that travels within our country, and render, torture, and
imprison individuals based on that information.

We also routinely regulate industry - often forcing it to use
american-made products or services in preference to overseas products.

I could certainly see China mandating the use of Red Flag on internet
cafe machines (notice - personal computer and industry computers
aren't mentioned - just a specific industry) for several good reasons.

- National security concerns (Windows is made by a company under heavy
regulation by opposing super-powers)
- Viruses / Spam / Malware / Botnets (Internet Cafe machines are
extremely heavily used, connected to very fast pipes, and some of the
most likely (and most dangerous!) machines to be infected with hostile
software.  A keylogger on a home machine might learn your bank account
credentials.  A keylogger on a cafe machine might learn thousands.

A little draconian?  Sure.  Too draconian?  Yup.  Pot, kettle.  Kettle, pot.

--tim