[HECnet] Question for PyDECnet users

[Johnny Billquist]

Hi.

On 2020-09-24 23:15, Paul Koning wrote:
> Gentlepeople,
> 
> Currently the details of what PyDECnet circuits connect to are not displayed.  So you can see that a Multinet circuit is up and the other end is node 42.73, but you don't see the IP addresses or the like.
> 
> When things are working that's fine; when they are broken it might be helpful to see what something is trying to talk to.
> 
> On the other hand, hiding IP addresses is arguably a security feature.  So I have this question:
> 
> 1. Should the addressing info (basically, what's in the --device config argument) be shown in the PyDECnet web interface?
> 
> 2. Should the addressing info be visible via NCP / NML?
> 
> The difference is that #1 can be limited to be local only, if you use an internal address for the web service.  That's what I do for my nodes except for the mapper, though perhaps there isn't a strong argument why it should be so restrictive.  #2, on the other hand, is visible to all HECnet users assuming you haven't disabled NML in your config settings.
> 
> I'd be interested in comments.  Am I too concerned about hiding information, or is it sensible to be cautious?

Interesting question. For myself, I certainly do not care or worry. (I 
sortof encourage the probing of Mim and Magica, since that helps iron 
out any bugs in my TCP/IP.)

But I do want to respect if others would want to be more protective of 
their information. So it becomes a little tricky.

It would be nice if individuals could tell how they would like it on an 
individual basis. But I don't have any good suggestion at this time on 
how to do it.

Finally, can you really stuff that information into the circuit 
responses? Are there some free-text field available for this? (Doubt 
I'll do anything in RSX right now, but if possible, it could maybe be 
something I'd look into eventually...)

   Johnny

-- 
Johnny Billquist                  || "I'm on a bus
                                   ||  on a psychedelic trip
email: bqt at softjar.se             ||  Reading murder books
pdp is alive!                     ||  tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol