[Security Firewall] MNF2

Hi everyone,

  I have left MandrakeSoft in last February, as you all know, but I
have been reading the posts on this ML ever since.

  I must say that I am a bit disappointed about what's going on with
MNF2 and this is why I'm writing this ML post to explain you guys the
situation, the way I see it. My 2 cts of it, of course.

  Let's face it, as Amaury (former MandrakeSoft employee, who worked
on the MNF project) pointed out in some previous mail, we had serious
problems with the marketing and the two previous versions of this
product : SNF and then MNF, from the very start of this project.

  As a matter of fact, MandrakeSoft wanted to stop the project after
SNF and I have decided to continue it, by myself, working at home.
Most of my colleagues who worked on the project have left the company
at that time. After some time "they" have decided to agree to the
"new" MNF, officially, and finally MNF came out. Very painful birth
process I must tell you.

  The truth is that I have been quite active on this ML and tried to
support MNF because I believed that there were some good ideas in this
product. Of course, I don't really like plenty of the technical
aspects :
- its "templates system" (inherited from e-smith) that will rewrite
the existing configuration files and not read them so one can also
modify the files by hand
- a lighter configuration, evoked by some people here speaking of
moonwall, could have been improved
- the logging treatement could have been improved, also the traffic shaping
- the different section should be made as modules so one can customize
the features list on the left side menu, etc.

  What I was trying to say was that, considering the ressources we had
(for MNF2 I was practically alone on the project) I think we did an
honest job.

  Now, people, you need to understand that Mandriva's policy about
this product has changed for the new MNF2. The iso image is not free
downloadable anymore.
  I think that this was done with really no good communication at all
from MandrakeSoft, now Mandriva, at least on this ML.
  The predictible consequence, that I verify every day on this ML, is
your frustration about this because you have put energy and hope in
this MNF. This is why, and Mandriva seem to forget that, MNF still
exists, certainly not because ot Mandriva.

 As I said, I have left the company in February but I made, I don't
remember the exact date, available a beta iso image so you guys can
test it and give me feedback. It was a good way, IMHO, to have a good
testing "platform". Mandriva has decided in the meanwhile to change
its policy and in the same time to punish me (sic!). I have therefore
no longer access to the building process, nor to the developpement
Mandriva clusters, despite what F. Lepied promised me. I had no
answers from him (the technical Mandriva director) even if I
specifically send an e-mail about this. They are probably afraid that
I will made again a new iso image available. :-)

  Two people from Mandriva did finish the product : Daouda and
Andreas. Andreas was quite helpful on this ML and Daouda almost
invisible. They needed about 3 months because they were new on the
project. Most of the features were there and only a few bugs had to be
fixed. I thank them for that.

  I understand your frustration but, with a little effort, you can
build yourself a working MNF2, adapted to any Mandrake/Mandriva distro
simply by building the CVS packages on that distro and using the
corresponding security updates.

  The other, strange, impressive amount of posts, came from V. Danen
(actual Mandriva employee, maintainer of the security rpm updates for
all the mandrake/Mandriva distros) reactions on this ML.
  He did say that he doesn't like this product, and that he is amused
by the fact that you guys like this product, things that I can
understand. He got named ML moderator of this ML, nobody knows how. He
has also almost never posted on this ML and I'm not sure I understand
why does he do it, in such a virulent way, all of a sudden ? Even if I
appreciate him, as a former colleague, I simply had the feeling that
he was a bit agressive.

Also, I will post here the list of all the people who asked for a free
download along with the status: lurker or contributor.

Please do not send me private mails saying that you will send me money
if I make you a new iso image because I won't do it. What I would do
instead, is to work on another firewall.

Have a nice day,
-- 
Florin

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