News(?!) Gasp! Terrorist uses Linux ---so what?

[arochester]

Headline

Linux Mint-using terror nerd awaits sentence for training Islamic State

Text

copy of harmless open-source operating system Linux Mint

https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/04/2 ... terorrist/

Text

At the time of his arrest in the Welsh capital on September 22 last year he had a USB cufflink with a Linux operating system loaded onto it to conceal a hoard of extremist data.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales ... b-12962452

What significance is it which OS the person used?
Is the average person going to assume that Linux is what all terrorists use?
Tor can be used with Windows.

[edbarx]

Tor can be used with Windows.

And custom encryption can be implemented in any operating system.

The implementation basis is as follows:
Encrypt data with the public key so that the receiving end would only be able to decrypt it with its private key. With this arrangement there is no need to transmit any private keys. Obviously, all communcation ends would also create their complimentary key set.

[dasein]

Is the average person going to assume that Linux is what all terrorists use?

No doubt some will. These folks probably already think of Linux as a "hacker" OS anyway, so it's not certain to what extent (if any) this news would affect their already negative perception.

That said, wow but that "walesonline" post is riddled with innuendo and misinformation. That quote you provided (and there are more in TFA) is deliberately ambiguous; it is clearly meant to imply that the terrorist used Linux to hide his information, as if to imply that Linux has some sort of special encryption sauce unavailable in any other OS.

[phenest]

A paranoid Welsh Muslim who wore gloves while typing on his laptop, admitted being part of Islamic State, and, gasp, harbored a copy of Linux Mint, has been described as a “new and dangerous breed of terrorist.”

Now this reporter has a sense of humour.

[None1975]

Welcome to USA politics reality, my friends!

[phenest]

Don't you mean the UK? He lives in Wales.

[edbarx]

Is the average person going to assume that Linux is what all terrorists use?

No doubt some will. These folks probably already think of Linux as a "hacker" OS anyway, so it's not certain to what extent (if any) this news would affect their already negative perception.

I have experiened the above myself. Some people I know are uncomfortable with me using an "OS not everyone uses". There are even some individuals who despise me for using the "OS fit for criminals".

[phenest]

There are even some individuals who despise me for using the "OS fit for criminals".

Have they actually said that to you?

[GarryRicketson]

Well, I don't know about edbarx, but even in another thread on this forum
I noticed where someone comented about a version, or OS, "It is not mainstrean, "
the context implied that if it is not mainstrean , we shpuldn't use it,...people like that
do have a tendancy to try to convience others that we all have to follow the "mainstrean" crowd, and use what they do,......
I don't remember which thread, and did not want to argue with the person,..after
all said and done, I know my system is not "mainstream", but for me it is perfect and works quite well, no crashes, etc,... Years ago I did try the OS people consider "mainstream", it did not work , so I went my own route,...if that makes me a terrorist,
or what ever, so be it.

[None1975]

Don't you mean the UK? He lives in Wales.

It doesn't matter. It is Western world. War with terrorism...false flag.

[phenest]

It is Western world.

Only one half is.

[yeti]

[Crewp]

yeti, lmao

[debiman]

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales ... b-12962452
What significance is it which OS the person used?
Is the average person going to assume that Linux is what all terrorists use?
Tor can be used with Windows.

ugh, what a horrible article.

judging from the other headlines ("Man has jaw broken in pub attack for making a comment about another man's ginger hair") it's a low-end newspaper.

but i agree, this is creating a hostile athmosphere by connecting separate things without explanation:

The court was told that one of the cufflinks contained 15 editions of the IS propaganda magazine Dabiq while another had the Linux operating system.

wtf?

it's like saying "The police say he used spray paint to make terrorist graffiti", somehow implying that spray paint == terrorism.

[alan stone]

What significance is it which OS the person used?

Next... if your body OS is composed of any of these, you're a terrorist?

[Lysander]

Well, I don't know about edbarx, but even in another thread on this forum
I noticed where someone comented about a version, or OS, "It is not mainstrean, "
the context implied that if it is not mainstrean , we shpuldn't use it,...people like that
do have a tendancy to try to convience others that we all have to follow the "mainstrean" crowd, and use what they do,......
I don't remember which thread, and did not want to argue with the person,..after
all said and done, I know my system is not "mainstream", but for me it is perfect and works quite well, no crashes, etc,... Years ago I did try the OS people consider "mainstream", it did not work , so I went my own route,...if that makes me a terrorist,
or what ever, so be it.

As well as that "Linux" does sound very techy and exclusive, possibly prohibitive. I'm sure the media could easily paint it in a very negative light if they chose to.

[HuangLao]

no surprise here. The powers that be want everyone to use Microsoft, Apple and Android products. BSD and Linux have always been for those who "know" and even for governments etc... "They" don't like us using the same things that they use.

and with the unmentionable newer OS within an OS Linux is becoming more like those big three anyway.

Don't see much happening with this since governments use and depend on Linux.

[phenest]

The powers that be want everyone to use Microsoft, Apple and Android products.

What happens if Android is the next technology to be used by terrorists?

[yeti]

What happens if Android is the next technology to be used by terrorists?

Android is the big player on the mobile market and the terrorists not using iOS probably are using it already.
Being based on Linux, this adds no new aspect to this discussion.
:-P

Do not inhale!
Practically all terrorists use oxygen!

[Lysander]

and with the unmentionable newer OS within an OS Linux is becoming more like those big three anyway.

I must have missed something here, can you elaborate?