So I’m fairly new to Qubes and linux and all the privacy and security combined and I understand that it’s best to keep things directly related to Qubes, but isn’t this also a place for non-directly related things too, for someone like me for example, who’s very newbie to all of these, there’s simply no other place to ask security or privacy related questions, because people in here are genuine care about their privacy and security and try to help each other and not make money out of you etc.
Maybe we can have something like cyber-security category for things like that?
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As a matter of fact we do have that. But it’s only available for trust level 2 users. There are other venues like
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Why is it only available for lever 2?
And thanks for sharing the link, I knew about them, but didn’t know they have a forum too.
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In short, because we want people to join and be active about Qubes OS since that’s the main goal of the forum. Otherwise we’d attract people who are not really into Qubes and just come for the privacy / security discussion and the forum starts morphing into something more generic.
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It’s tough though for people who want both but struggle to get to level 2 just reading and learning from the forum. Im on here almost daily and use the forum as my first reference if I’m stuck but have been previously told information I need is on the part of the forum I can’t access.
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Well, that’s just the way it is. @BlackCairn I’ve given you a like so all you’re really missing is participating in a few more discussions (15, I think) and you’ll get there. But please don’t contribute randomly, increasing the noise in the forum because that decreases the quality for everyone. And if we see that that’s happening, we may need to reconsider the #all-around-qubes access policy.
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Thankyou, appreciate that.
@deeplow I think these methods are counter-productive and even draconian a bit, because forum in it’s general form is to provide/get support and discussions and because Qubes is security and privacy tool it sounds logical to me to have it in here for everyone.
I’m a bit noisy and enthusiastic person, but I know many aren’t like that, in fact I think most are not like that and will just browse and leave and I don’t see any harm in that, we’re all different, but we’ve something common and it’s getting help or discuss a subject with minded-like people on cyber-security in general and Qubes just one of the tools. But it’s up to you of course.
The issues brought up 2.5 years ago when the level-2 category was floated are still valid today.
from: New "general admin, security & privacy" category?
I suggest everyone who’s about to post an opinion read that thread first.
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I disagree and if you have been around for a while you can see how some threads devolve completely off-topic and take up a lot of energy. If you have the general purpose discussion completely open that will take over a lot of the discussion which isn’t what the forum is about.
It’s much better to have people introduced to it as a Qubes forum, and then later on they can post broader security questions in a dedicated category.
There are a lot of new individuals who found out about Qubes from a very basic search or video etc. and they have so many questions that can be answered outside of the forum. It would not be productive to open this up because a lot of that low quality discussion would appear as this forum is one of their first touch points to real quality security talk, and the moderators would have to do a lot more work for little overall reward.
You’d have 50 posts of “Is my VPN → Tor → VPN → Tor → VPN → SOCKS5 setup secure enough?” and similar stuff.
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You will have the same questions now, and it’s not off-topic, it’s a question about how you configure sys-net / Qubes OS.
I don’t see how changing the security level of “All around Qubes” is going to hurt anyone, the idea that it’s going to have disastrous results seem a little far-fetched, we are talking about a type of category that exists in most online forums.
If it’s too spammy, and you don’t want to take part, just mute the entire category. If it turns out that hordes of people are going to flood the forum to post in the off-topic category, then change the security level back to what it is now.
I personally don’t see why anyone would make an account just to post in “off-topic”, when they can do the same on a forum like Reddit with millions of users. If someone wanted to do post on the forum, they can still make the account a post the same question in general discussion.
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It’s not just up to me, you know. This was a community discussion. Please read the following thread so you get the context as to why it is this way:
I am guessing the moderator would be relaxed enough that if you have an exact need. Actually a “Fear,” that you need to develop an exact plan of “How to” Implement security for your situation." And need it at this very moment. You could describe that need. and someone more knowledgeable than myself might answer. That would be a plan that I would refer to as “Operational Security.”
Also difficult that some replies, you might feel are people talking down to you about you already know, so be a bit forgiving and expect the answers for a point to be overly detailed pointed toward someone floundering with both vocabulary, and concepts.
If you are like just trying to get rid all the spam in your email. Probably you should read a lot of places on internet about concepts and security protocol.
I got bored with the first few times I tried to watch the Micah Lee Video on Qubes. I think it is excellent though.
Micah Lee presents “Qubes OS: The Operating System That Can Protect You Even If You Get Hacked”
Micah Lee, a long-time Qubes advocate, presented Qubes OS: The Operating System That Can Protect You Even If You Get Hacked at the Circle of HOPE conference, which took place July 20-22, 2018 in New York City.
in addition to the documentation offered on the Qubes website (where you downloaded Qubes the first time) the information offered by Whonix.
Not Qubes OS, but a live distro of Linux, Tails OS, is in direct support of human rights workers, journalist, individuals who have fear of consequences to themselves and others… and some interesting documentation on how to achieve, security. OS receives $$ from US government to help whistle blowers.
leading to: Tails - Documentation
Then if you have the time, other places to look for Op-Sec information and advice.
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Yeah, I get it. Didn’t know about that thread before, but I don’t think these fears are justified. But as far as I can tell most of active users in here are in favor of the current state of it, so I’m fine with that.
Can you please give a link? I am trust level 2 but I cannot find this.
Oh, I see it: All around Qubes
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