[Opensim-users] Banning "bad" viewers was Re: Can this be done?

[John Ward]

On 01/13/2010 01:38 PM, Karen Palen wrote:
>> I understand that checking an ID string can be defeated.  That has
>> never been my point.
>
> Yes you seem to feel that checking the string does some good in some
> sense. I claim that it does no good whatsoever apart from keeping out
> "goodguys" who have a problem with your "approved" viewer.

Yes, it does some good in the very ways I have already explained.  You 
call that nothing and yet complain about the something that is does. 
You seem to feel that violating a TOS by using an approved viewer is OK. 
  That just makes you a bad guy too.

>> You point out that it takes some effort to change the string.
>
> Effort that the "good guys" will perform, but the "bad guys" won't!

If that is true then the system is totality secure since it will keep 
out the pesky bad guys who wont put in the effort.

> If I want to produce a "griefer" or "piracy" tool there is absolutely
> no reason to change the IDs, revision codes or anyt6hing else apart
> from whatever hack I am performing.

If a grid blocks on the ID codes that tool had better include an 
acceptable ID code.  Do you see being blocked as a reason for your tool 
to change codes?

> The ID strings are in the code, not automatically generated by Visual
> Studio 2005!

Who said that?

>>> Which makes the check essentially useless as a
>> security tool.
>>
>> That assumes keeping out all bad guys is the only measure of a
>> security tool.
>
> I have seen no other claim made for checking this ID string, nor can
> I imagine any other usefulness unless you simply want to exclude some
> competitor.

Exclude some buggy viewer that crashes your grid; exclude a viewer that 
has some aggressive behaviour (the GreenLife folks work with LL to 
prevent bad things when so many people upgrade); limit viewer to those 
you want test on your grid; version control perhaps? or ......

So, by NOTHING, you really mean nothing YOU approve of.

>> I see.  Your choice of viewer is more important then the grid
>> operators choices.  It's OK to limit their tools.
>
> That depends entirely on why they are operating the grid. If their
> intent is to promote the sale of their particular viewer (or
> whatever) then you are correct.
>
> However if the grid operator is trying to actually attract casual
> users and to make the grid useful to a reasonable number of people
> then it is counter productive.

You seem to feel that your choice is more important then the grid 
operator's choice.  We disagree.