JTK wrote:
> RV wrote:
>
>>JTK wrote:
>>
>>
>>>RV wrote:
>>>
>>>[snip]
>>>
>>>
>>>>They have equated Open Source as being insecure. I have several
>>>>people
>>>>approach me already at the college where i teach and ask me why I
>>>>am
>>>>using an Open Source web browser. They are afraid someone can
>>>>insert
>>>>code (back door) that will breach confidential information and
>>>>send it
>>>>to someplace else.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>Oh now come on, that's just silly! How exactly are they going to do
>>>that, by exploiting the excruciatingly slow configurability of the
>>>XUL
>>>UI perhaps?!?!
>>>Um... somebody *did* think that through, didn't they?
>>>Hello?
>>>Hellooooooo?
>>>
>>>
>>No, by believing MS FUD about how Open Source works. It is obvious
>>you did not read the article I pointed too
>>
>
> Someone is going to breach confidential information and send it to
> someplace else by believing MS FUD?
Let me try again JF, MS FUD was about spreading a big misconception
about Open Source: that is, the source code is open for anyone to tinker
with allowing a malicious coder to add code creating a backdoor, a
virus, or something more malicious. The malicious code will be
incorporated and will spread among everyone without realizing it. As I
said, in theory that is true, but the fact applies in reverse order too.
Since Open Source projects also include either a group of drivers, a
committee (politburo as you call it ;) )or a benevolent dictator (e.g.
Linus Torvalds) it is unlikely that such code will be accepted. All
theses eyes peer over the submitted code and review it for not only
correctness, but also for unwanted activities.
Anyone who belives MS FUD in that regard will be less prone to try open
source software, whether is Linux, Mozilla or whatever. As a matter of
fact MS misinformation has been directed not to the technically savvy
(programmers, IT guys, CIO), but to people in other managerial
positions, like CEO, CFO and others who might be able to block the
technical people decisions. That was what Mundie was trying to do here
at NYU. I should know because I was there ;-)
From the comments I got from some of my students regarding me using
Mozilla in my office I would say there is a good chance that spreading
that kind of FUD might work if people from the other side (open source
advocates) don't counteract it with the fact that EVEN MS uses open
source software. That was the intention of my original posting.
