From Bugzilla Helper: User-Agent: Mozilla/4.77 [en] (X11; U; Linux 2.2.17-14 i686) Description of problem: The rc.sysinit script prints "Welcome to Red Hat". While this may be friendly, it does make problems for folks who charge a system cracker with ``breaking and entering'' a system. This welcome message made it a bit harder to press charges because the defense claimed that the system had welcomed the system cracker. How reproducible: Always Steps to Reproduce: 1.reboot 2.Notice the welcome message 3. Actual Results: The system welcomed you. Expected Results: Perhaps it should say something like, ``This is Red Hat'' instead? Additional info: Try: *** rc.sysinit.init Sun May 6 14:49:19 2001 --- rc.sysinit Sun May 6 14:49:19 2001 *************** *** 34,40 **** . /etc/init.d/functions # Print a banner. ;) ! echo -en "\t\t\tWelcome to " [ "$BOOTUP" != "serial" ] && echo -en "\\033[1;31m" echo -en "Red Hat" [ "$BOOTUP" != "serial" ] && echo -en "\\033[0;39m" --- 34,40 ---- . /etc/init.d/functions # Print a banner. ;) ! echo -en "\t\t\tThis is " [ "$BOOTUP" != "serial" ] && echo -en "\\033[1;31m" echo -en "Red Hat" [ "$BOOTUP" != "serial" ] && echo -en "\\033[0;39m"
Interesting comment. IANAL, but I also heard that.
I've also heard it - but as an Urban Legend. An actual legal cite would be more useful
Speaking personally, there is no legal site. It never went to trial. While you may think of it has an urband legend, the welcome argument issue was raised. We will never know if the it would have stood up in court because it never went to trial. To be in the safe side, we changed all of our systems to not "Welcome". It is simple enough to side-step the entire issue, by changing the welcome to a simple "This is Redhat" or "RedHat 7.x starting" or "Powered by RedHat" or "RedHat 7.x" or something ...
So, make the welcome messsage configurable. "Welcome to Redhat, unless you're a cracker or a lawyer."
This bug report is nonsense and should be closed NOTABUG, or WONTFIX at worst. If I have a doormat that says "Welcome" I do not invite burglars into my house. This is an obvious fact even if a lawyer might state (not think/believe) otherwise.