Jesux and other OS Jihads

Rohit Khare (rohit@uci.edu)
Mon, 27 Sep 1999 22:04:04 -0700


OK, I stand guilty of cross-posting a GeeK item and (presumably)
raging Slashdot debate. But I wanted to archive for the record the
intolerant-yet-quirkily-libertarian project of Religiously Correcting
an operating system...

>Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 14:14:03 -0400 (EDT)
>From: Jason Casden <caz@monkey.org>
>Subject: GeeK: jesux
>
>Ever wished there was a *nix designed with Christianity in mind?
>Enter Jesux (pronounced Hay-sooks).
>
>http://www.geocities.com/ResearchTriangle/Node/4081/

Quotes from the project page:

>Jesux will aim to be an environment that is pleasant for Christians
>to work in, with all the amenities a Christian might expect, and
>when possible, free from worldly influences.

>default fortune file contains quotes from the scriptures, Augustine,
>C.S. Lewis, Chuck Swindoll, etc.
>* Christian Enlightenment themes featuring Jesus, the cross,
>and other Christian icons
>* Login screen has full text to Lord's Prayer and Pledge of
>Allegiance, with Christian and American symbols

(there are many more mods in the same vein...)

>Online Bible in King James Version
>* no other versions will be provided by default; we feel the
>KJV is the only English version that can be fully trusted

>Squid proxy server (plus squidGuard) bundled and configured for
>blocking illicit web sites (including a regularly updated list of
>illicit sites and URL patterns to install on your own; we will be
>looking for mature and diligent volunteers to help maintain it)
>* Optionally disable logins on Sunday, the day of rest

>chmod(1) accepts hexadecimal modes, such as 0x01B6

Phew! chmod 666 was just *ruining* my afterlife!
(sorry -- some of this stuff is just insufferably funny!)

>qmail replaces sendmail as the standard MTA (sendmail was written by
>a prominent homosexual

That's the one that forced my hand in reposting this. I'm glad to
know that homo-code is sinful, too. Heaven forbid they figure out
it stands for queer-mail :-)

>Hierarchical user structure, so parents and teachers can easily
>access children's files without needing to become root

>* No encryption provided; Christians have nothing to hide

Wow.

>Also, we are seriously considering changing some fundamental OS
>features. The idea would be that function calls and features
>suggesting evil and otherwise pagan ideas would be changed.
>
>* abort(3)
>* kill(1)
>* references to "daemon"

>We have been getting lots of requests about whether or not this site
>is a hoax. We understand the reasons why, but it saddens us. What
>has become of our society that it is so hard to believe that people
>are earnestly seeking to do good in God's name, to follow Him, and
>to help others through the power of the Holy Spirit?

>All advertising materials mentioning features or use of this
>software must display the following acknowledgement:
>For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
>whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting
>life. (John 3:16, King James Bible)

In other news: Clearly, $70 isn't enough of a deterrent from blessing
any ol' perl script with a domain name...

>Date: Sun, 26 Sep 1999 20:26:15 -0400
>From: Sameer Patil <patil@umich.edu>
>Subject: GeeK: E-crush
>
>Have you ever wondered if the person you have a crush on also has a crush
>on you? Well, E-crush can help you find out.
>
>Here's how it works. You sign up at E-crush and submit a list of names of
>the people you have crushes on, along with their e-mail addresses. They are
>then e-mailed by E-Crush telling them that someone has a crush on them.
>They are invited to join E-Crush and submit his/her list of crushes. If
>you're on his/her list, you are then notified. If not, they will never know
>that you had a crush on them.
>
>http://www.ecrush.com