Is Linux Too Dumbed Down?

Datamation ^ | 22 February 2016 | Matt Hartley

[zeugma]

easiest way to test the hash for iso is to open K3b, then select "tools" and "burn image". Select the file you want to validate. The first then K3b will do is calculate the hash of the file. Compare that to what is specified on the page.

Even easier, but it requires (shudder) the command line, is to simply enter "md5sum filetocheck.iso", where 'filetocheck.iso' is the name of the file you want to check.

 

$ md5sum /home/iso/linuxmint-17.3-kde-64bit.iso
9fae1a87bebe4b57f6a587272f0cee3d  /home/iso/linuxmint-17.3-kde-64bit.iso
 

[zeugma]

oh, and you also have to keep in mind that there are several different hashes that might be used. Most folks use md5, but it's really not a good choice any more because it's been shown to be possible to force a hash collision. When they show you the hash, they should also tell you how it was calculated.  The following shows the same file being tested using several different hashing techniques. Of these, the most secure hash is sha512, but really, anything over sha224 is good. (sha1 has similar known vulnerabilities to md5)

 

$ for x in md5sum sha1sum sha224sum sha256sum sha384sum sha512sum; do $x linuxmint-17.3-kde-64bit.iso;done
9fae1a87bebe4b57f6a587272f0cee3d  linuxmint-17.3-kde-64bit.iso
d3e8f755df63801678af48bf0c2b716d7a066fdd  linuxmint-17.3-kde-64bit.iso
672792a81435ef77296fd403771f911df26d359e0020dd1e7fb9d204  linuxmint-17.3-kde-64bit.iso
aa33bf286e92556163c335b258fe5cbd9f65f4ab8490e277fed94cf20d3920e4  linuxmint-17.3-kde-64bit.iso
7ae57b2bfe931c56bb355fc0817717636edcdc08d009cb64497605a645ecc46725ab259928a2d91489278c15e212df3f  linuxmint-17.3-kde-64bit.iso
d3c8499c6d3ab6b852d2592ab13129c5289f812443c848ca3f9221a516778d46e85f8ca9c7ac08e1a08882d94e28e4d9558a255366560f75065247568b3f7977  linuxmint-17.3-kde-64bit.iso

 

[Organic Panic]

A good design, regardless of what the final product is, will make the complex simple.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

It's like two factor authentication (not just like it) but sort of. You calculate the hash as you've indicated. The desired value is published elsewhere. You compare the value you got from the value that is expected. For example if you go to http://lug.mtu.edu/fedora/linux/releases/23/Workstation/x86_64/iso/ You see the following entries:

Fedora-Live-Workstation-x86_64-23-10.iso           29-Oct-2015 21:42          1469054976
Fedora-Workstation-23-x86_64-CHECKSUM              30-Oct-2015 20:37                1156
Fedora-Workstation-netinst-x86_64-23.iso           30-Oct-2015 01:37           433061888

Two of these are giant files and one is a fairly small one. If you calculate the SHA256 hashes on the giant files they should match the values published in the tiny one.

# The image checksum(s) are generated with sha256sum.
SHA256 (Fedora-Workstation-netinst-x86_64-23.iso) = f38d1aca6211b6bbb2873a550f393d03866294e3e5094256feb4cd647c25a310

SHA256 (Fedora-Live-Workstation-x86_64-23-10.iso) = a91eca2492ac84909953ef27040f9b61d8525f7ec5e89f6430319f49f9f823fe

And the checksums are signed with a PGP signature. So if one wants to be super careful one can be. Full disclosure - I am not.

[LoneStar42]

Computers/Internet is not a help forum. It’s discussion forum and the topic is Linux. The article pointed out not only that support communities exist, but how to use them more effectively.

Did you ask a question I missed?

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

I’ve introduced a few folks to Linux in the past. I don’t do it any more, because I’m not patient enough with folks. Most people don’t have any idea how to really use MS-Windows, and they’ve been using it for years. Asking them to do anything different is an exercise in frustration for both you and them.It has nothing whatsoever with how easy or hard Linux is, because they don’t actually understand computers regardless of what it’s running. Frankly, I think most folks are better off with tablets.

---

It’s true. I have my wife on linux but I end up helping her let’s say 4 or 5 times a week. Which is fine because she’s my wife. If it was my brother-in-law or my barber it wouldn’t work.

[zeugma]

It’s true. I have my wife on linux but I end up helping her let’s say 4 or 5 times a week. Which is fine because she’s my wife. If it was my brother-in-law or my barber it wouldn’t work.

Ya. I converted my wife to the side of light and goodness as well. Then she went Mac on me!

Fortunately, once she went Mac, my standard answer quickly became. "I haven't the foggiest." Mom-in-law got the Macbook after wifeofzeugma passed last October. Standard answer is still the same though.

[AFreeBird]

One could say that about MAC OSX. But it’s a *nix. Its actually UNIX (I know you know that). Very user friendly. Very locked down.

But open a shell, issue a few commands, and you’re root. The whole system is your oyster. If that’s your gig. For those who don’t need to know, or want to know, it serves their purpose - quite well.

No reason why Linux can’t offer that same sort of friendly user experience, for the uninitiated.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

My sincere condolences zeugma. Truly.

[PAR35]

I don’t have to ask a question. My opinion is as valuable (probably more valuable) than yours. Don’t post articles if you don’t want comments.

Sounds like you also may be a stereotypical Linux ‘person’.

Linux would have had more success if it wasn’t for the elitist Linux jerks.

[LoneStar42]

Actually, it would be more popular with a better informed consumer.

Want some cheese with that whine?

[LexBaird]

Linux is for people who drive stick shifts and do their own maintenance. People not intimidated about getting under the hood.

Which is why Linux has made no inroads into mainstream use, despite Windows sucking rocks for the last few versions. And this author is like the guy who says, if you can't rebuild an engine, you should stick to bicycles, n00b, and then tosses a do-it-yourself manual.

That wins no converts.

[LoneStar42]

I ain’t selling anything. The US govt is aiming for 78% adoption for obvious economic interests.

Use your favorite search tool. I bill $200/hour for consulting, two hour minimum. Either pay me or do it yourself.

[daniel1212]

I believe that the way we handle Linux questions on the forums and even how some distros present things is doing newbies a greater disservice

I remember asking a Mint forum how I could full R+R permissions by login in with real (as in Puppy) root access. That did not go over too well.

ow this type of forum dialog provides two points of value. First, it treats the new user with kindness. Second, it also pushes them outside of their comfort zone and encourages them to search for the answer.

At least it was an answer, while asking for a simple (as in AutoHotKey in Windows) proven way to remap (persistently) CapsLock to ctr+c and Esc to ctrl+v took a lot of asking different forums without success. I finally found a distro that enabled it thru the keyboard shortcuts.

[PAR35]

Real men know how to run CP/M. Let’s see you young Linux geeks try to make a real operating system work.

[LoneStar42]

The old saw is “never buy a car from a mechanic.” The reason is that he doesn’t work on his own when he’s off work. I’m sure you understand that talking shop after doing it for ten hours a day, on your own time isn’t fun.

As for CP/M, I asked a coworker at Dell in ‘95 if he knew CP/M. His reply, “Yes. And if I hear it from anyone else here I’m looking for you.”

Young? I just filed for social security. Thanks!