[Seattle-editorial] (No Subject)

[BFGalbraith]

--- Laury <webshiva at cablespeed.com> wrote:
> I'm much less optimistic.  Open Source is great for
> most apps, but it  
> isn't the best approach for voting machines.  Openly
> distributing the  
> source code would be the equivalent of handing a key
> to each voting box  
> to anyone who can read the code.
> 
> -- Laury Kenton


I like your analogy here Laury, which is part of why I
am replying.  I think it would be more like giving
someone a blueprint of the lock, then it would be like
giving them an actual key.  And actually, much open
source software is known for having better security
than closed-source software.  The classic example of
is Windows vs. Linux, Linux is open source, and has
always had better security than Windows (which of
course never has been open source.)

In fact NOT being open source IS a security risk!  If
it's not open source, then you never can be 100% sure
what the program REALLY does!  This is the very reason
why the Asian economic powers have been converting
over to Linux instead of Windows, Windows is a
national security risk to them.

Now, with the voting machines, it's not about Windows
and Linux, right?  Well, as far as security goes, you
still have the same situation with not knowing what
the program REALLY does.  Even if there is a "paper
trail", HOW DO YOU KNOW IF THE PAPER TRAIL IS LYING IF
THE PROGRAM ISN'T OPEN SOURCE?

(This whole voting box issue is getting me more and
more concerned all the time myself.)

=====
-Benjamin 

"BFGalbraith"- bfgalbraith at users.sourceforge.net 
(H&S Project Manager- http://hack-and-slash.sourceforge.net)
Galbraith Games Website- http://www.squawkrpg.net/news
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