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On 08/02/2020 12:26, Neil wrote: > On 08/02/2020 11:39, maceion@xxxxxxxxx wrote: >>> >> >> I have never used SSH, and do not know how to. >> With on home router only two laptops in main use (openSUSE 15.1) for >> wife (WiFI) and self (eth cable) and another very old laptop (eth cable) >> used only to keep spare access to emails, but has two hard drives >> spinning rust type one with OS, one with very old data on it used >> occasional. >> >> a) I understand security access of SSH, but what other advantage? >> > > I have much the same query. I have a desktop computer and a laptop in my > study upstairs (smallest bedroom). My wife has a laptop downstairs. My > daughter has a laptop at her home. They all run Linux and I look after > them all. > > I have no need to access any of those computers except physically. > Certainly I never need to contact them via the internet. So, unless I am > misunderstanding the role of SSH, I do not need it. > > Or am I missing something here? You all are. I wouldn't even move from my workstation to type on a laptop set next to me on the same desk (seriously). Why would I do that when I can stay on my comfortable machine, not bother moving my hands from my nice keyboard, my eyes from my nice monitor and my bum from my nice chair when SSH will just seamlessly connect them? Even if you're not an IT professional SSH has a million uses all day every day. The whole point of Linux and its parent UNIX is that they have always been multi-user network transparent operating systems. I would say unlike a certain Redmond based competitor... except even Microsoft Windows has had native SSH for years and years now. To be absolutely clear, for your use cases you're probably not really missing anything particularly. Brad gave a perfect example of how he used to use it to login to other machines around the house just for maintenance and upgrading etc - that is quite frankly it's normal role for non IT people I suppose. And very useful too but as he said, he just doesn't really need to do that as much so doesn't have much use for it any more. Fair enough! What you're really missing though is if you don't know how to use it and don't have it enabled and ready by default, you're squandering one of the single most powerful features of not just Linux but any half sane computing device. It'll get you out of trouble because it's literally the first thing you'll want when stuff goes wrong and the troubleshooting begins. This is a Linux mailing list remember, and although we all use our Linux systems differently the single most powerful and defining feature of all our systems is the shell. A lot of you might be abstracted a long way from this and may never really fire up a terminal 'cos you use window managers and graphical environments for everything which is of course fine. But the entire raison d'être of UNIX and Linux is to be a network aware multi user shell driven system - everything on top and the fancy GUIs you lot live in are just bolted on stuff that came along later. Asking why you'd want secure networked access to a shell running on a UNIX/Linux system is literally failing to understand the entire point of the operating system you're using. It's like asking why your car has brakes and an accelerator and an engine, 'cos you don't use them all. Mechanics and other drivers will just look at you with uncomprehending blank stares! This is kind of how I feel when people ask why they'd want SSH on their Linux computers - wrong question my friends. The correct question is why you _wouldn't_ want SSH access to your Linux computers. I really should have tried to answer what is a very fair question (what's the point of SSH for me as a user?) with some more practical, useful examples I guess. But as you probably know by now, that's a bit much to expect from me I'm afraid. Sorry :p Bottom line: if you really, really don't want to bother with it, don't. And don't let me or any other fool try and convince you otherwise, you'll be just fine. -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG https://mailman.dcglug.org.uk/listinfo/list FAQ: http://www.dcglug.org.uk/listfaq