[ale] open source wars at DOD

[Jeff Hubbs]

Joe, I've been wondering the same thing.  I think the concept (that is,
lack of justifiability of closed-source) is strongest at the OS level
and ramps down the further you go in the user app dimension.  I think
it's reasonable to have very specific user apps remain closed-source and
for-pay, but I still feel that even in those cases, users or using
organizations should have an option to request source code for a small
fee and under obvious disclosure restrictions in order for said users to
fix bugs or change/add functionality.  I know that if I've bought
something important and I smack into a problem, I really don't
necessarily want to wait for the mfr to take care of it "manana" in the
next version.

I think that for things that are really depended on for nat'l security,
life/limb, etc. it's important to have *auditable code*.  Closed-source
code is not auditable.  I know that when I worked for the Air Force, we
actually bought the VMS source on microfiche and we actually had a guy
who dug into it to chase down a bug in the OS.  

More to the point, though, it's important to know that your software
isn't doing anything more than you know it's doing (e.g., KaZaa).

- Jeff

On Fri, 2002-05-24 at 13:18, Joseph A Knapka wrote:
> Jim Philips wrote:
> > 
> > Remember the report earlier this week about how Microsoft was warning the DOD
> > against the dangers of open source programs? Well, now tyhere is an internal
> > DOD report that has come to the conclusion that open source is often "more
> > secure" and "less expensive". You can be sure the PR warriors at the Evil
> > Empire won't let that assertion go unchallenged. Read all about it here:
> > 
> > http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A60050-2002May22.html
> 
> I see M$ plays the "security through obscurity" card. How
> gauche. 
> 
> All this recent hoopla about security in open source, integrity
> of public data, etc. has got me asking myself the question: Is
> there *ever* any advantage to closed-source software, for anyone
> besided the vendor? I can't see one, myself. It is self-evidently
> in the buyer's best interest to insist on open-source solutions;
> only the gigantic dead weight of M$'s marketing machine obscures
> this fact in practice. Eventually open-source will prevail in
> a free marketplace.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> -- Joe
>    Looking for a new .sig.
> 
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