Baslinux mailing list

[sindi keesan <keesan AT sdf.lonestar.org>]

Someone's computer is dying (won't boot unless they blow air on the cpu 
fan for 10 minutes first, they said, and makes strange noises) and they 
need to use the internet while deciding what to replace it with so I 
offered an old computer.  They wanted XP for security (having had some 
problem with identity theft already). I offered linux instead.  No 
viruses.

Is there any security problem using BL3 and Opera, and if so, would it be 
better to use it as 'user' not root?  Probably Opera and Ebay will be 
leaving cookies on their computer.  They probably have a firewall already.

I can insmod the ethernet module in rc (as root), but busybox udhcpc (rwx 
for root and user) run as user gets an:  'error, socket failed!: Operation 
not permitted', whereas root gets 'SIOCGIFINDEX failed!  No such device.' 
Which operation is not permitted?  Same problem in BL2 or BL3.

Can I just run udhcpc as root in rc and then they will be connected to the 
internet before logging in as user?  (I probably should give them a real 
password in this case).  Can login as 'user' be automated in some file 
that is not accessible by outsiders when they are working as 'user'?

I know how to make Xvesa (without rxvt) and Opera work as user.

We have until Thursday evening to set something up.

keesan AT sdf.lonestar.org
SDF Public Access UNIX System - http://sdf.lonestar.org