OpenBSD: Secure by Default

Correction: ASLR was not innovated by OpenBSD, the Linux PaX project published the first design and implementation of ASLR in July 2001 as a patch for the Linux kernel. ASLR was then added to OpenBSD 3.4 in 2003 followed by Linux in 2005. —Unix Sheikh

Continuing with the theme of my last post regarding the impetus of the OpenBSD project, and the principles by which development of the operating system adheres, I felt compelled to enumerate some of the tangible benefits that such a system produces. The principled purist within me notwithstanding, for what reason do I not only choose to …

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OpenBSD: Clean, Correct Code by Default

I was perusing some not-too-recent-nor-old messages on the misc@openbsd.org mailing list when I entered a thread based on an interest in the subject—OpenBSD Project—where after reading the original message I would have normally passed on the rest but fortuitously didn't, and was pleased to read a contribution that reminded me of one of OpenBSD's most compelling merits:

"If your choice of operating system depends on any kind of formalities rather than on technical quality, OpenBSD is not the project you are looking for."

The entire message deserves a read but this key point made by author Ingo Schwarze …

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Computer Science: Session 1, 2019


As the end of the session draws near, I came to a few realisations about my move to ECU.

Although this is session 1, for me, it's closer to the denouement of a first year computer science undergrad. I started this degree in session 2, 2018 at another university, finished four units, and then transferred to ECU in March of this year. Having completed two of the first four units in ECU's course syllabus at my previous school, I'm totalling the credit points accrued from a year of studies with the completion of just two units this session. And next session, too …

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