[wordup] Open Source Invites Terrorism - A Study

[Adam Shand]

Via: Simon Horsburgh <simon.horsburgh at stonebow.otago.ac.nz>
From: http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/25569.html

Open source invites terrorism - study
By Thomas C Greene in Washington
Posted: 04/06/2002 at 12:25 GMT
 
A Washington think tank calling itself the Alexis de Tocqueville
Institution is preparing to release a 'study' warning that the
widespread use of open source software will allow international
terrorists to have their way with us.
 
"Terrorists trying to hack or disrupt U.S. computer networks might find
it easier if the federal government attempts to switch to 'open source'
as some groups propose," the group warned in a press release.
 
We imagine the argument will have to go something like this: Microsoft
software is safer because the company carefully conceals its security
flaws; thus evil terrorists will never find them on their own. But with
open source products, the Evil Doers will be able to audit the source
code and find novel weaknesses they can exploit to bring Christendom to
its knees.

We say that because we know they can't possibly try to argue that MS
offers inherently more secure products. Although they might; as our
friend Richard M. Smith points out, the Institution takes money from
Redmond.
 
This could explain why a group purportedly devoted to the 'perfection of
democracy' would, with a straight face, recommend the MCSE as a 
qualification for adult participation in a democratic economy superior
to a university degree.
 
"Effective participation in the American political economy has always
been substantially dependent upon an education that goes beyond basic
verbal and mathematical skills," the author of this 'study' intones.
 
And quite right he is; only we rather suspect, like most adults, that a
liberal education is the answer to that problem, not an advanced course
in rectifying BSODs.
 
Nevertheless the author cheerfully reports that "87 per cent of Human 
Resource managers surveyed believed that MCSE's are equally or more
successful than college graduates."
 
We look forward to learning how MS software and its associated usurious
licensing schemes will protect us from terrorism. The 'study' is to be
released next week.