[NTLUG:Discuss] crackers

[Steve Baker]

cbbrowne at godel.brownes.org wrote:

> Another problem is that "running a security consulting service" could
> be quite readily argued to not fit all that well with the charter of
> NTLUG Inc.

What *would* be appropriate would be to provide a list of members
who would be prepared to do this kind of thing on a consultancy
basis.  If those members felt the need to make a contribution from
whatever they might earn from that work - then that would be a highly
acceptable thing.
 
> - Does the NTLUG Inc. moniker confer a cachet of trust upon such a venture?

Yes - I think it would.

Would failures in such undertakings drag our good name though the mud -
yes!

It's a two-way deal.

> - Is it worth taking on the responsibility of trust?  What if we did get
>   sued due to it breaking down?  Can we pursue the errant member that did
>   the work on our behalf and thereby besmirched the good name of NTLUG?
> 
> Those latter two questions are ones I'd really rather never have to ask,
> because the answers are really ugly any which way you look at it.

Yep - exactly.

> After all, if NTLUG gets sued, and doesn't have much money, it might prove
> necessary to sue the members.  And short of things that would evoke Godwin's
> Law, that's about the most terrible thing I could ever imagine happening.

Yikes!

> I would have no problem with the idea of grateful users contributing funds
> in thankfulness for the efforts of LIP.  If they feel overflowing in
> generosity, far be it from us to tell them they can't contribute something
> back :-).

Yes - that would be an appropriate thing - but once again, if in the
course of installing Linux, you were to wipe the wrong disk partition
on the machine of someone who doesn't make frequent backups - then you
could be liable for a small fortune in damages.  I think there is a
massive difference in your percieved liability if you do that as a
friendly gesture from a fellow club member versus having been paid
some fee for doing a specific job of work.

Hence, we should probably not even suggest some level of contribution.

> Actually, I'm not joking at all.

Me either.  The probability of screwing up a Windoze partition while
installing a dual boot Linux setup is probably rather large!  All the
advice is to backup your Windoze partition before diving in with
FIPS et-al...but I doubt that happens at our monthly install-fests.
The fact that the manual probably tells you to do the backup - and
we don't - could easily be interpreted as negligent behaviour. (Not
that I suggest any change in what we do - there isn't time on a
Saturday morning session to do all that stuff).

LIP is a great service and speaks volumes about the Linux spirit -
but you wouldn't want to charge for it.

> Willingness to accept contributions == good.
> 
> Going on to *demand* contributions is quite another story...

Yes.

-- 
Steve Baker                  http://web2.airmail.net/sjbaker1
sjbaker1 at airmail.net (home)  http://www.woodsoup.org/~sbaker
sjbaker at hti.com      (work)