Re: [gentoo-user] Re: New Intel CPU flaws discovered

[Dale]

Nikos Chantziaras wrote:
> On 15/05/2019 18:25, Dale wrote:
>> If my system is off, how's it going to play videos?
>
> If your system is on, how is it going to replace vulnerable kernels
> with patched ones?
>
> Anyway, it's your system, not mine. I don't really care if you run
> vulnerable kernels or other software. I just wanted to inform you
> about it. If you choose to ignore well meant advice, that's fine.
> Again, I don't care. I was just trying to help.
>
>
>


I've been running a computer since 2003, mostly 24/7/365.  I've yet to
have anyone hack my system regardless of what kernel I'm using or its
age.  While I try to keep my system up to date when possible, I also
have to consider what my system is doing at the time.  Even doing major
updates or KDE updates requires timing.  Sometimes, I build the packages
but don't install them.  Then when I'm close to a point where I can
logout and back in, I then install the updates, which only takes a few
minutes since it is already compiled, and log out and back in.  Since
kernel updates require more, that takes more planning.

While I want to keep the bad CPU code from being used, they first have
to get past other things.  My DSL modem has protections, my router adds
yet another layer of it.  I use adblock, noscript and such on all my
browsers as well.  While I want to keep the CPU code clean, they still
have to get past all the rest first. 

I might also add, I'm having to use that init thingy since I have /usr
on a separate partition.  If I ever change drives, I'll likely remove
that and put it on /.  As some know, I have a bad history with those
init thingys and to be blunt, I hate the things and I tend to curse at
them quite often.  The only reason I use it is because I'm required to
do so.  Until it was required, I avoided it like it was the plague or
something even worse.  Since rebooting is when those tend to
fail/break/whatever, it is yet another reason I avoid rebooting.  Even
when I have a power fail here, it makes me very nervous to shutdown. 
There is always a chance of hardware problems, such as a fan failing to
spin up, but those don't bother near as much as when I'm watching to see
if that init thingy fails or not.  Even if my system sat idle the
majority of the time, I'd avoid rebooting/shutting down just because of
the init thingy.  My system when idle pulls very little power.  I've got
light bulbs that pull more than my puter.  Most of the time, I just
don't have a good reason to reboot. 

The biggest thing, this system is in use almost all the time.  It's
either playing video on my TV, downloading things or both.  I also check
my email very often since that is how most people contact me, my cell
phone signal is poor at best since I live under a large hill. 

For most people your advice is likely good advice.  For those who don't
protect their systems with other tools, it is very good advice.  I've
compiled the new kernel as suggested and when I reboot, I'll try the new
kernel and see how it does.  It's rare that the kernel itself gives me
issues but there has been a time or two when I've had to go back to a
old one, left out something that has to be there for example.  It's
getting that time of year so a reboot/shutdown will likely happen soon
enough.  I expect a more stormy summer, gut feeling thing.  It's May and
I would not risk even driving the tractor in my garden.  Usually by now,
it is planted and stuff is blooming and about ready to pick.  It's still
full of weeds and VERY wet. 

Now that I'm back from town, let me go see how much it downloaded while
I was shopping.  o_O 

Dale

:-)  :-)