time and date

[Tom H]

On Wed, Jan 16, 2013 at 10:45 AM, Oliver Grawert <ogra at ubuntu.com> wrote:
> Am Mittwoch, den 16.01.2013, 08:29 -0600 schrieb Cybe R. Wizard:
>> On Wed, 16 Jan 2013 15:04:22 +0100
>> Oliver Grawert <ogra at ubuntu.com> wrote:
>>
>> I think ntp is a daemon and set of utilities, not a server:
>>
>> (ntp)
>> "This package contains the NTP daemon and utility programs.  An NTP
>> daemon needs to be running on each host that is to have its clock
>> accuracy controlled by NTP. ...  An NTP
>> daemon needs to be running on each host that is to have its clock
>> accuracy controlled by NTP."
>>
>> One would run it in order to have the correct time set on their
>> computer.  Why would one /not/ want it on a default installation?
>>
>> that said, there /is/ ntpdate, but it says, "ntpdate by itself is
>> useful for occasionally setting the time on machines that do not have
>> full-time network access, such as laptops," so, unless the b ox is
>> connected full time, ntp.
>
> ntpd runs constantly, occupying constant resources, it opens a listening
> port to the outside world by default which opens a possible attack
> vector ...
>
> ntpdate simply syncs with ntp.ubuntu.com once you establish a network
> connection, unless you have a bad BIOS battery i doubt you will ever
> need ntp installed on a laptop/desktop to keep your clock correct.
>
> note that ntp is installed by default on ubuntu-server installs ...

ntpdate has been deprecated. It's better to use "ntpd -q" (without
running ntpd as a daemon).