Subject: Re: proposal: NetBSD system buyer's directory
To: Ty Sarna <tsarna@endicor.com>
From: Jason Thorpe <thorpej@nas.nasa.gov>
List: current-users
Date: 09/24/1997 14:10:42
On Wed, 24 Sep 1997 12:49:43 -0500 (CDT) 
 Ty Sarna <tsarna@endicor.com> wrote:

 > Aside from the "sending mail without the user's permission" issue:
 > 
 >  - How do you know *when* to send mail? How do you know when the
 >    installer or admin will get around to setting up sendmail right?
 > 
 >  - How do you know what hardware NetBSD is running on? A lot of that you
 >    can get from dmesg, but a lot you can't. For example on the i386
 >    port, how do you know what motherboard they're using? That's
 >    important information.

Ok, I've been watching this thread for a bit, and I have a few comments:

	(1) I think the notion of a hardware registry is a nice idea.

	(2) I think the notion of having a place where users can
	    say "I'm running NetBSD!" is a nice idea.

	(3) I think the notion of having this happen automagically
	    is a violation of privacy.

..and I have a suggestion:  "Why not encourage people to register their
systems at http://www.netbsd.org/....?"

Jason R. Thorpe                                       thorpej@nas.nasa.gov
NASA Ames Research Center                            Home: +1 408 866 1912
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