[Gllug] p2p programs

[Shakthi Kannan]

Hi Simon,

--- Simon Morris <mozrat at gmail.com> wrote:
> When was the last time you read the source code for
> any Linux kernel

5 minutes back? 

Please. I am a device driver developer ... [1]

> or application before using it to ensure it is
> secure? 

When the source code is open, you can very well see
what is happening, atleast, programmers do.

> If so, which
> application did you do a source code audit on?

[1]

>  I didn't understand that sentence fully.. "looking
> at the source code
> of all of " what exactly?

windoze kernel, firewall, anti-virus.
 
> Having the source code for the software I use is an
> essential part of
> my freedom but I don't consider it a security
> benefit at all really,
> from the point of view as a home user

There are millions of programmers who work on these
projects who are brought up in different education
environments. Their mindsets are different, their
approach to problem solving are different. When these
programmers get together and brainstorm with ideas, a
lot of experience and man-hours goes into it, as
opposed to very few engineers working on closed source
products.
 
> I can't understand 99% of the code that is written
> for my computer. 

You can't do _anything_ with binary files given by
proprietary companies. Atleast in free/open source you
get the freedom to modify/verify code.

> understand fairly basic Python and Perl so all of C
> and Mono code etc
> is of no benefit to me.

What can the developers do if you are not interested?
You seem to have only worked with interpreters, not
compilers? 
 
> If I were a Windows user I would put my trust in MS
> to provide patches
> for security holes. 

Even if they don't fix the bugs and tell you they
fixed it, and you have no way of verifying their
claims? Its not called user-friendliness, but
slavery?. That is why you cannot guarantee anything,
can you? Atleast having the source code open, you can
atleast see what is happening. 

As you said, this is little off-topic to the subject
line, so I will stop here.

Cheers,

SK

[1] http://www.shakthimaan.com -> /Work

--
Shakthi Kannan, MS
Software Engineer, Specsoft (Hexaware Technologies)
[E]: cyborg4k at yahoo.com              [M]: (91) 98407-87007
[W]: http://www.shakthimaan.com      [L]: Chennai, India


		
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