Someone stole Symantec's source code five years ago. Since that time, the only people who knew about the exploits were Symantec and the bad guys. So when Christine Ewing, the product manager, says "malicious users with access to the source code have an increased ability to identify vulnerabilities and build new exploits," she's only half-right. The … Continue reading Symantec explains why proprietary software is dangerous
Tag: transparency
“Patches Welcome”
It's a phrase you'll hear often in the open source community: "patches welcome". It's sometimes earnest, sometimes passive-aggressive. It's a cultural norm that's tough but fair: you've voiced an opinion, and now you need to back up that opinion with working code. Without code, it's just a distraction. It's an important component of what makes … Continue reading “Patches Welcome”
What the Open Government Directive Means for Open Source
On the heels of the Open Government Memo of January 21st, 2009, the Obama Administration has issued the Open Government Directive. The Directive tells agencies what they must do to meet the expectations set by the Memo. The directive names many deadlines for agency compliance, most of them around reducing FOIA backlogs and increasing the … Continue reading What the Open Government Directive Means for Open Source
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