I have read about OES and also its successful use in a campus-based election (simulation?) in UP. I was supposed to say "why wasn't it implemented or approved for use in the upcoming National Elections" but my conspiracy theory savvy spilt personality replied immediately: "It's all about kickbacks and political corruption!" which I would have wanted to be viewed as a challenge :)
On Wed, Oct 14, 2009 at 8:02 PM, jan gestre <[email protected]> wrote: > Where have you been? :D There's an alternative called the Open Elections > System spearheaded by the group of Gus Lagman (Namfrel), as it's last stand > it was endorsed by former Comelec Commissioner Christian Monsod as a viable > alternative unfortunately it didn't matter because current COMELEC peeps was > hell bent on automating the election. Some people here in the list were > involved in the project in one or way another. > > > On Wed, Oct 14, 2009 at 10:52 AM, Tito Mari Francis Escaño < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> Is it possible to design, implement and propose a free open source >> alternative to the Automated Election System (AES) given the timeframe that >> we seem to be running out of as we speak? Is it possible to have access to >> the specification and interfaces of the AES in question? >> >> >> On Wed, Oct 14, 2009 at 9:08 AM, Michael Mondragon < >> [email protected]> wrote: >> >>> I agree with Peter. What I am trying to suggest in discussions is to >>> probably ignore whoever wants to embarass us with this kind of mumblings. >>> We are here to help our country and our kids' future. Since clock is >>> ticking and we don't have concrete plans what we'll do whether we win with >>> our petition or lose, what we need to do is what matters most. Again, its >>> better to do the right thing (and tried) than doing nothing. >>> >>> >>> >>> ----- Original Message ---- >>> From: Peter Santiago <[email protected]> >>> To: Philippine Linux Users' Group (PLUG) Technical Discussion List < >>> [email protected]> >>> Sent: Wed, October 14, 2009 2:52:26 AM >>> Subject: Re: [plug] COMELEC SUED (Was: The Death of Election >>> 2010SourceCodeReview) >>> >>> Pablo Manalastas wrote: >>> > --- On Tue, 10/13/09, Oscar Plameras <[email protected]> wrote: >>> > >>> > >>> >>> If that is the case will the >>> >>> >>> >> COMELEC/Smartmatic/Whoever come up with a >>> >> >>> >>> proposed blackbox test that would capture all the >>> >>> >>> >> scenarios (including >>> >> >>> >>> the ones of my fellow PLUG members)? >>> >>> >>> >> I have not thought of this. But I assume Comelec, etc., >>> >> will not refuse such a >>> >> reasonable suggestion. >>> >> >>> > >>> > As a CenPEG fellow, I was an official observer at the SBAC testing of >>> the Smartmatic computers in May 2009. I also had a chance to talk to Rene >>> Sarmiento, Atty Tolentino, Chairman Melo, Atty Ferdinand Rafanan.. We also >>> talked to CAC members Renato Garcia and CAC Chairman Roxas-Chua. Our >>> conversations were either face-to-face visits, or on national television >>> (some of you might have seen the ANC TV shows where Atty Rafanan and myself >>> had a heated discussions). We have made many resonable suggestions to >>> Comelec, including enabling the voter verification of the PCOS >>> interpretation of his ballot markings, suggestions for testing, suggestions >>> for generating the private-public key pairs for the persons of the BEI, not >>> for the positions of the BEI, etc. Comelec refuses to listen to reasonable >>> suggestions if these suggestions do not come from either Smartmatic or the >>> CAC. I have lost faith in COMELEC's ability to accept ideas from the >>> academic community, the >>> > NGOs, the computer societies (PLUG, PCS, CPU, etc). COMELEC wants us >>> to have faith in their computerized system, but it does not listen to >>> reason. >>> > >>> > >>> >>> Also can COMELEC/Smartmatic/Whoever come up with a >>> >>> >>> >> solution to the >>> >> >>> >>> access to source code provision in the enabling law? >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >> I think that you have to take this up with Comelec and the >>> >> responsible parties. >>> >> In my personal opinion, I don't think you will be granted >>> >> to see the proprietory >>> >> source codes used in AES. >>> >> I am not in anyway connected with Comelec nor Smartmatic >>> >> nor shall I profit >>> >> directly or indirectly from the project at all. >>> >> I am voicing my opinions on behalf of me as a Filipino >>> >> Citizen and as >>> >> a registered >>> >> voter during this coming election. >>> >> >>> > >>> > COMELEC will not allow anyone to review the source code of the election >>> computer programs. That is why we went to the Supreme Court. If you read >>> CenPEG's petition, you will see that we have exhausted all legal means to >>> convince COMELEC to follow the law (RA-9369 section 12) and release the >>> source code as required by law, but COMELEC does not want to listen to our >>> reasonable request. >>> > >>> > I think this is quite understandable, since COMELEC is trying to >>> protect itself and Smartmatic from copyright infringements of the Dominion >>> Voting System's proprietary election programs. Smartrmatic is only a >>> licensee of Dominion, and COMELEC is a sublicensee of Smartmatic. >>> SMartmatic only has a binary-level license from Dominion, and only Dominion >>> has the right to modify the PCOS program in any way. COMELEC failed to >>> enforce one of the vital provisions in its contract with Smartmatic -- the >>> requirement to Smartmatic to put the source code of the PCOS and CCS >>> programs in escrow at the Central Bank, so that COMELEC can comply with the >>> provision of Section 12 on source code review by interested political >>> parties and groups. This means that COMELEC approved Smartmatic's bid, even >>> if Smartmatic did not comply with a number of provisions in the COMELEC >>> terms of reference to bidders, and in this sense, COMELEC disobeyed the law. >>> When a bidder joins the >>> > bidding, it agrees to follow the terms of reference, including >>> providing the source code, even if the software is closed-source commercial >>> softrware. In a way, Smartmatic was engaged in deception, since all the >>> COMELEC commissioners are lawyers who can not understand the licensing >>> agreement between Dominion and Smartmatic, the agreement that was presented >>> to COMELEC as part of Smnartmatic's bid documentation. COMELEC was already >>> way in too deep into its commitment to Smartmatic, when its discovered this >>> failure on the part of Smartmatic. >>> > >>> > ~Pablo Manalastas~ >>> > >>> > >>> [snip] >>> >>> Whew! this is one extremely long thread. Well, both of the ayes and nays >>> have their own point, but in the context of the law, there is no loophole. >>> Binary testing is not equal to source code review, Automated testing is not >>> equal to realtime testing, compounded with insufficient QA, this is one >>> hell of a deadman switch. Mission critical applications are rigorously >>> scrutinized and source code examined. The AES is a mission critical >>> application since it determines the fate of a country, not a simple matter >>> of just Counting and Tallying, especially in the light of overwhelming >>> computer threats. Therefore transparency/source code review is important to >>> ensure that no hidden easter eggs or nests are present to screw up the whole >>> situation. In any case, while the case is still pending with the Supreme >>> Court, why don't we start thinking of ways to ensure the safety and >>> integrity of the system? The wheels of justice turns ever so slowly here >>> in our country, that I would say, it would be a miracle if the Supreme >>> Court can put out a decision regarding the interpretation of the law within >>> this year. >>> >>> -- Peter Santiago [email protected] >>> My website: www.psinergybbs.com >>> My spamtrap address: [email protected] >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> _________________________________________________ >>> Philippine Linux Users' Group (PLUG) Mailing List >>> http://lists.linux.org.ph/mailman/listinfo/plug >>> Searchable Archives: http://archives.free.net.ph >>> >> >> >> _________________________________________________ >> Philippine Linux Users' Group (PLUG) Mailing List >> http://lists.linux.org.ph/mailman/listinfo/plug >> Searchable Archives: http://archives.free.net.ph >> > > > > -- > http://jangestre.blogpsot.com > > _________________________________________________ > Philippine Linux Users' Group (PLUG) Mailing List > http://lists.linux.org.ph/mailman/listinfo/plug > Searchable Archives: http://archives.free.net.ph >
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