Brett, you are absolutely right. In fact, China did go with Linux when Microsoft originally denied access to its source code, so China developed its own Linux Distro known as Red Flag Linux.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Flag_Linux However, the majority of users in China are using Windows operating systems (almost all pirated), so China attempted to secure them with the "Green Dam" software, which was found to have multiple vulnerabilities itself. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Dam_Youth_Escort For Microsoft, China is basically a black hole for money with the amount of pirated copies distributed. If it can get the government on board, it could most likely gain a profit. --Josh On 7/12/2010 3:16 PM, Brett Johnson wrote: > Because Microsoft is a corporation and is solely motivated by profit > and thus will cave to letting China see the source code if it > translates to sales revenue... > > FTA: > .. if Russia or China manage to find a security flaw by having access > to the source code offered to them by Microsoft for national security > reasons, there’s little to zero possibility that they will go public > with it, as the competitive advantage from a cyber warfare/cyber > espionage perspective is indisputable. > > China's motivation is it gives it the ability to discover > vulnerabilities to use against its citizens and other > governments/countries. Microsoft's motivation is cash. > > Of course, the average person ends up the victim - their Windows PCs > are compromised and no one has the power to fix them. > > Thanks for the link! > > -- > Brett Johnson > simpleroute | 1690 Williston Road | South Burlington, VT 05401 > tel: 802-578-3983 | email: [email protected] > > > > On Mon, Jul 12, 2010 at 12:36 PM, Bjorn Behrendt > <[email protected]> wrote: >> http://www.zdnet.com/blog/security/does-microsofts-sharing-of-source-code-with-china-and-russia-pose-a-security-risk/6789?tag=nl.e539 >> So why does the Chinese government get to see the source and I don't. And >> if they are so concerned about source then why not move to Linux. >> >> -- >> Bjorn Behrendt >> IT Coordinator >> Mount St. Joseph >> [email protected] >> (802) 775-0151 -- Josh Smith Information Security & Forensics Rochester Institute of Technology
