I may just have created a monster... explained to my almost-teenage boy how port forwarding via SSH works...and told him that for most legitimate purposes it elegantly replaces the need for VPNs (kids only use the dodgy 'free' ones meaning they're lining themselves up for exploitation). People in the Windows world don't understand that VPNs are hitting a brass tack with an expensive and performance sapping sledgehammer.They accommodate the unnecessary complexity of Windows network architecture.
@lightweight VPNs are very useful (not that) I think as long as young people understand when and why they are useful and can be used legally (e.g in a cafe to avoid snooping over public wifi) then using one is not seen as some super power.
@zleap I'm not sure the complexity (and therefore attack surface) of most VPNs is justifiable given the simple elegance (and time-tested reliability) of SSH... I think it's "easier" for unsavvy users... but it shifts the complexity to whoever's maintaining it.
@lightweight yeah ssh is nice and ssh -x (or is it -X) is very useful too.
@zleap yup. I always feel pity for Windows admins who think all remote server maintenance requires something unbearably heavy like RDP (run with active anti-virus systems acting like a further millstone at both ends)...
@lightweight I moved to running Linux on my main desktop over must be 15 years ago, never looked back, I look at windows and think it looks like an awful antiquated mess.
Windows 10 is not much better, give me apt install anyday
Not sure if WSL is any good but given I have no use for windows, i'll just stick to native Linux.
@zleap WSL is the worst of both worlds. The freedom and majesty of Linux stuffed in a dingy proprietary cage. :)
@zleap WSL is Microsoft's fairly transparent (if you're looking) attempt to co-opt the GPL - the only way they can do it legally is to trick people into using Linux in a way that's fully encapsulated within Windows... it's like a reverse Alien... where the human gets inserted into the inhospitable and generally unpleasant alien rather than the other way around.
Ah, I will just stick to Native linux, however this is still a worrying thing they are doing, as people don't get the full benefit of a free software OS but, as you said are tricked in to thinking that.
@lightweight
I would like to see more use of alternatives as an entry barrier to getting involved in things, so you have to be able to use say Libreoffice or LaTeX, that way people look at those alternatives.
Same as the way people say must have MS word skills for example we just do the same but for free software.
@zleap ...of *this* exploitative (and disingenuous) trick... Sigh. One day I'll proofread my posts...
@zleap yes. We have to make them aware of exploitative trick at every opportunity...