Security consideration, using a non-x86 server

[John]

Eric Dunbar wrote:
> A neat security bonus if you're using a non-x86 systerm as your Linux
> server (Sony is using a PowerPC-based server for one of their
> web-exposed services)...
> 
>>From "Sony's story of success with Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP & Pegasos"
> <http://www.ppcnux.de/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4119>:
> 
> Worms/Attacks
> 
> The server can be accessed from the internet - so security was
> important of course.  Linux is a safe operating system. Nevertheless
> from time to time  a new security hole is found and needs to be
> patched.  All automated attacks and worms are usually designed to
> break into x86 systems.  Even if you patch your system always in time,
> it gives you a much nicer  feeling to know that your system is kind of
> immune by design.
> 

Sure.
Some GPL-aware installed this complete with source on my system:
http://www.energymech.net/
Freshly-built binaries were just a make away.

How long to you suppose it takes to port these tools to new CPUs?

Having no compiler on the system and having a non-IA32 CPU is like a 
child-proof latch on the pool gate.

Stops the kids, but yields to anyone a little more capable.

I don't entirely agree with MDZ on this; I do think the child-proof 
latch is important, but don't stop there.

If the cracker's tool is written in perl or python, how helpful is a 
different CPU then?