New forum for firewall scripts?

Yes, I know, all the time new fora are suggested, but...

I think it would be helpful to have a place, where all (lots of) the iptables / ipwf (? this *BSD thingie) scripts of the members of LQ are collected e.g. in a subforum of security.

Noobs like me could learn, gurus might guide and overall comprehension of security issues furthered.

Just imagine: a wealth of well commented scripts, their authors there in the background if questions arise. It might also be required by the site to fill out (a form?) details of the installation to be protected and the intended purpose of the firewall -- I mean besides protection there is often some monitoring of traffic or illegal activities, ingenious uses of the mangle chain...

One could even imagine color coding the text or background for well known sources e.g. "Alien Bob" gets a green background, <your-favorite-source-here> yellow and so forth. That would make it easier to find new / original lines in the scripts where errors are rather more probably to reside.

Well, any supporters of this idea?

Colours are already available, I wouldn't make it a discoball. A subforum...well just and just maybe. Why fill out site-forced forms? Firewall (and other) scripts are, if you ask me, best described with good and planned comment lines along the script file, and maybe a line or two before the actual script in [code] tags that tell "this is a basic firewall script" or "this is for use with ..." Too much hassle makes no good. People who want to hilight some parts of the code can use [color] tags, but hopefully not much; having a 500-line piece of code with every other line having different colour makes it very difficult to read.

I also think those scripts can be found from the web, commented and described, very easily. Is it really worth it to fill an LQ forum with them too? Especially when I guess most of them are more or less basic firewall "scripts", with few modifications made. Having 1000 nearly identical scripts is not much use, and searching trough them all to make sure your script stands out for something special is difficult..

Originally Posted by b0uncer ...Firewall (and other) scripts are, if you ask me, best described with good and planned comment lines along the script file, and maybe a line or two before the actual script...

Certainly are comments a requirement. Color is faster to "decode" that's all. This is really an aside and not necessary for the basic function of the suggested forum.

Originally Posted by b0uncer ...that tell "this is a basic firewall script" or "this is for use with ..." ... I also think those scripts can be found from the web, commented and described, very easily.

No, this is different. The suggested (and perhaps superfluous) color scheme was meant for easier recognition of known scripts. The main merits of a forum like this on LQ would be

• accumulation of scripts in one place
• authors of scripts available for questions
• "peer review" of posted scripts with error correction where appropriate

Originally Posted by b0uncer ...Is it really worth it to fill an LQ forum with them too?

Well, I think so but it is of course up to Jeremy and the mods.

Originally Posted by b0uncer ...Especially when I guess most of them are more or less basic firewall "scripts", with few modifications made. Having 1000 nearly identical scripts is not much use, and searching trough them all to make sure your script stands out for something special is difficult.

That would not necessarily have to be the case and anyway it is up to the discretion of the mods (the are the masters of the delete button ). This is the reason though, why I suggested giving the details of the to be protected site as a precondition. The users / readers can see then what the script is for, e.g. a single workstation, a small net etc. Those who wish could then copy what they desire for their own needs an recombine /add features as appropriate.

I don't think a dedicated forum would be or drive enough traffic. But the wiki would be a good starting ground for a placeholder and links to firewall scripts written and shared by others, with tutorials, etc.

The security forum is already a good place to ask questions in regards to iptables and firewalls, etc.

I'd agree that a dedicated forum for this is probably not needed at this time. I'd also reiterate what Drew said regarding the LQ Wiki - it would be a great place for a firewall scripts repository.

--jeremy

Okay, if that's the consensus. I'd still think you need some "advertising" to get the script part in the wiki running. How about either a "sticky" in security or generally a (linked) button there, inviting people to share their scripts in the wiki?

re "advertising": why not put a link in your sig?

TG

Originally Posted by titanium_geek ...why not put a link in your sig?

Because that would be only in my posts whereas a sticky or a button would be seen by all users of the security forum. A button could even be integrated into the threads during their getting displayed, so it would even be there for users who come directly to a thread without visiting the entire forum...