[Coco] Re: OS Vulnerabilities

[David Hazelton]

John E. Malmberg wrote:
> 
> 
> My Operating System in use on this computer is OpenVMS.  It has been out 
> there since the 1970's and is still being actively developed.  I am
> using Mozilla as a news reader and a web browser.
> 
> So it qualifies as a modern OS.
> 
> It is also practically indestructible and gives the control to the 
> system owner.
> 
> But at some point, you have to have trusted software that runs in a 
> privilege context.  There is no way around that.
> 
> And if the System Owner does not follow good practices, there is really 
> not much that can be done about that.
> 
> And it is not easy to render it useless.  There is no evidence of a bad 
> design at all.
> 
> I have full control of it, but yes, at some point I must depend on the 
> programming / engineering skills of others.  There is really no way 
> around that.  In that case, you have to go with the reputation of your 
> suppliers.
> 
> So at least one modern OS does exist that meets your criteria, as well 
> as it can be met, and has done so for for quite some time.
> 
> -John
> wb8tyw at qsl.network
> Personal Opinion Only
> 
> 
> 

As an Ex-VMS system administrator, Who still uses VMS?

I do have to agree with John on the Hardness of VMS, But there were 
known  holes with VMS too,  At least with Version 5.5.  (I know that was 
before OpenVMS).  When I moved over to Unix, I was told that the reason 
why Unix was so unsecure was that Unix was in the schools and the holes 
became more popular than those on VMS.  There might have been some truth 
to it, but I doubt it. I believe that at least in the 80's, VMS was 
secure because of who used it and why...Business.  Unix had more of a 
R&D environment, where one did not want the OS to stop advancements, but 
allowed easier access to it's power.

Sun and SGI had it's marketplace, but both had a hard time to move into 
the Business world.  I believe that that is one reason why Sun "dropped" 
the BSD version and went more with System V in Solaris; The Reputation 
of Berkeley was killing it in the business world. It was tied to College 
students hacking it apart.  Look at today, which is more businesses, 
Linux (System V Flavor) or BSD.

Anyways, that is my viewpoint.

And Again, John; who still uses VMS?

~David Hazelton