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> The next warning is stay off IRC or other places where "hackers" hang out. They think it's funny to hand you commands that can destroy your computer. The comm

> The next warning is stay off IRC or other places where "hackers" hang out. They think it's funny to hand you commands that can destroy your computer. The command rm -rf / is a classic that you must never type. Just avoid them. If you need help, make sure you get it from someone you trust not from random idiots on the internet. I don't really agree with that. I know for sure that popular channels in OFTC and Freenode are monitored by very smart and responsible people that would never let this happen. In my many years on IRC I have not seen a single novice guy looking for help actually get had by someone intentionally trying to mislead/screw over. I would instead encourage novices to read this: http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html#usefora http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html#usefora ('How To Ask Questions The Smart Way: Web and IRC forums directed towards newbies often give the quickest response')

burgerbrain 15y ago
I think the exact opposite advice would actually be more proper. Newbies probably don't often even know about IRC, but it can be a great way to get exposed to some really cool stuff.
Mithrandir 15y ago
I have seen on some IRCs people writing 'sudo rm -rf /*" etc. (not as advice, but as a joke,) but that person is always promptly kicked out and everyone in the channel tries to warn others. The author's view is definitely too pessimistic. Most people on IRCs like Freenode aren't evil 'hackers' out to 'hack' you (this reminds me of an episode of Numb3rs.) Other smaller IRC servers can get rowdy, but I've yet to see that on Freenode et al. I think much better advice would be to not randomly execute crap you see online without knowing what the program is and does, especially in root.
- nassosdim 15y ago
  A few days ago I decided to pick up a bash book from O'reilly and, truth be told, the guys in a room in Freenode knew how to help me in any question I made, no matter how silly I might felt for even asking (specifically I remember asking them about case insensitive shell expanding of wildcards which ended up being a locale issue in my installation). That doesn't mean that they're all saints, I just find it comforting that there are people out there who will gladly assist a complete stranger (in my case, me).
dangrossman 15y ago
My first experience on IRC was looking for help with my first Linux install. Someone in the channel telnet'd into my computer and wiped my hard drive while I was chatting. I was 9 or 10 years old at the time and my root password was one of those common strings (12345, abcde, I don't remember at this point). It had taken me 3 days to learn how to download Linux, make a stack of installation floppies, find and use partitioning tools, install Linux and set up a boot loader, etc. I cried when I realized what had been done to me.
- dredmorbius 15y ago
  Unless someone 'fessed up to it, you really have no way of knowing who did this. It could just as easily have been a drive-by script. And regardless, it was a hard, cheap, early lesson in the importance of ensuring fundamental levels of system security. I've ... suffered worse. I strongly suspect you'll never forget this.
  - dangrossman 15y ago
    This being more than a decade and a half ago, I doubt it was a drive-by script. I was dialed into AOL on a 4 letter screen name. I had just informed a channel of Linux users, who knew my public IP, that I had just installed Linux for the first time. The chances it wasn't someone from that IRC channel are near zero.
    - jebberjeb 15y ago
      stop crying
      - jebberjeb 15y ago
        Hah! Downvote it all you want, you know it's true. He needs to stop crying.
        deleted 15y ago
        [deleted]
naner 15y ago
The next warning is stay off IRC or other places where "hackers" hang out. They think it's funny to hand you commands that can destroy your computer. It would be simpler just to tell the student to not run any command unless he or she can explain exactly what the program and arguments mean.
non123 15y ago
How to ask questions the smart way? Lesson 1: Register with a female nickname: Jane123, KatyG, ... You'll see response time shorten dramatically.

burgerbrain 15y ago

I think the exact opposite advice would actually be more proper. Newbies probably don't often even know about IRC, but it can be a great way to get exposed to some really cool stuff.

Mithrandir 15y ago

I have seen on some IRCs people writing 'sudo rm -rf /*" etc. (not as advice, but as a joke,) but that person is always promptly kicked out and everyone in the channel tries to warn others. The author's view is definitely too pessimistic. Most people on IRCs like Freenode aren't evil 'hackers' out to 'hack' you (this reminds me of an episode of Numb3rs.) Other smaller IRC servers can get rowdy, but I've yet to see that on Freenode et al. I think much better advice would be to not randomly execute crap you see online without knowing what the program is and does, especially in root.

nassosdim 15y ago
A few days ago I decided to pick up a bash book from O'reilly and, truth be told, the guys in a room in Freenode knew how to help me in any question I made, no matter how silly I might felt for even asking (specifically I remember asking them about case insensitive shell expanding of wildcards which ended up being a locale issue in my installation). That doesn't mean that they're all saints, I just find it comforting that there are people out there who will gladly assist a complete stranger (in my case, me).

dangrossman 15y ago

My first experience on IRC was looking for help with my first Linux install. Someone in the channel telnet'd into my computer and wiped my hard drive while I was chatting. I was 9 or 10 years old at the time and my root password was one of those common strings (12345, abcde, I don't remember at this point). It had taken me 3 days to learn how to download Linux, make a stack of installation floppies, find and use partitioning tools, install Linux and set up a boot loader, etc. I cried when I realized what had been done to me.

dredmorbius 15y ago
Unless someone 'fessed up to it, you really have no way of knowing who did this. It could just as easily have been a drive-by script. And regardless, it was a hard, cheap, early lesson in the importance of ensuring fundamental levels of system security. I've ... suffered worse. I strongly suspect you'll never forget this.
- dangrossman 15y ago
  This being more than a decade and a half ago, I doubt it was a drive-by script. I was dialed into AOL on a 4 letter screen name. I had just informed a channel of Linux users, who knew my public IP, that I had just installed Linux for the first time. The chances it wasn't someone from that IRC channel are near zero.
  - jebberjeb 15y ago
    stop crying
    - jebberjeb 15y ago
      Hah! Downvote it all you want, you know it's true. He needs to stop crying.
      - deleted 15y ago
        [deleted]

naner 15y ago

The next warning is stay off IRC or other places where "hackers" hang out. They think it's funny to hand you commands that can destroy your computer. It would be simpler just to tell the student to not run any command unless he or she can explain exactly what the program and arguments mean.

non123 15y ago

How to ask questions the smart way? Lesson 1: Register with a female nickname: Jane123, KatyG, ... You'll see response time shorten dramatically.