[GTALUG] Free Linux VMs

[Alvin Starr]

On 5/10/20 2:03 PM, Howard Gibson via talk wrote:
> On Sun, 10 May 2020 13:09:47 -0400
> Alvin Starr via talk <talk at gtalug.org> wrote:
>
>> On 5/10/20 11:04 AM, Howard Gibson via talk wrote:
>>> On Sun, 10 May 2020 12:06:20 +0200
>>> ac via talk <talk at gtalug.org> wrote:
>>>> in my opinion, avoid any ongoing "free" services, more so if it is a
>>>> huge multinational doing the offering as the huge companies all have
>>>> some sort of "dominate the planet" and kill off all competition type
>>>> long term goal...
> Alvin,
>
>     I am fascinated by this incident...
>
>     http://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/09/21/ncix_servers_sold/
>
This is not a new story.

A lot of years ago I worked for a company that wanted to develop a Unix 
workstation for CAD/CAM applications but they ran out of cash.
Some Dentist bought the hardware at the fire sale and got a source copy 
of AT&T Unix.
He then tried to extort cash out of AT&T  with the threat of releasing 
the source code.
Well needless to say it did not go well for him.

Many years later I bought a tape backup system on Ebay.
It came with about 10 tapes that had the complete MSSQL for an HMO in 
California.
Including patient data and billing information.

The NCIX one is not surprising because the bankruptcy lawyers have no 
idea of what they have and don't have any responsibility to guard public 
privacy.

-- 
Alvin Starr                   ||   land:  (647)478-6285
Netvel Inc.                   ||   Cell:  (416)806-0133
alvin at netvel.net              ||