[dundee] Open source debate

Robert Ladyman it at file-away.co.uk
Wed Jul 21 08:30:52 UTC 2010


None, with deliberate obfuscation: this has saved me and a customer before - 
for various reasons, neither the customer nor I could access the previous code 
of a system but we managed to extract it from a supplied system (this was 
using Visual FoxPro) with some rather natty software.

Interestingly, when dealing with large companies who must be comply with 
various regulations, source-code is either signed over to them or subject to 
"escrow", where it is held by a trusted third-party for release to them should 
the supplier go bust or get into dispute - that tends to negate any 
obfuscation, as do regulations about development and documentation standards. 
Don't forget, if you are providing a system that interacts or creates data in 
the company's systems, you'll have to provide SQL statements 'en clair' for 
their DBA's to apply.




> On Tue, Jul 20, 2010 at 08:38:23AM +0100, Robert Ladyman wrote:
> > I'll be happy to come along and support either side of the debate: I
> > claim neutrality (for a price).
> 
> Without prying too much how much software do you sell that the source code
>  is obfuscated.  It maybe an interesting angle that neutrality has a price
> 
> > > On 19 July 2010 12:36, Arron M Finnon <finux at finux.co.uk> wrote:
> > > > On Mon, Jul 19, 2010 at 11:55:30AM +0100, Holford-Lovell, Donna wrote:
> > > > > HI
> > > > >
> > > > > I think the best way would be a knowledgeable panel discuss a
> > > > > topical
> > > >
> > > > issue followed by Q&A.
> > > >
> > > > who will be on the panel, will it be made up of Linux Society &
> > > > TayLUG members?  Will it bring in business people who's companies
> > > > support these types of concept?
> > >
> > > Donna posted to this list asking if anyone was interested, only I have
> > > volunteered so far.
> > >
> > > Gordon
> 

-- 
Robert Ladyman
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