[Am-info] MS Source code

[Mitch Stone]

This article makes what looks to me to be some questionable assertions 
about the significance of this leak. I suspect some serious technical 
misunderstandings.

"Secondly, Microsoft's growth has come about because of its tight 
control of its intellectual property - the source code of its products. 
This has helped it maintain a stranglehold on the desktop computer 
market. That hold has been demonstrably loosened now. Rivals could use 
it to get a better idea of how Windows works and help them compete 
against Microsoft."

How has their hold been "demonstrably loosened" by the release of the 
code? How might it help rivals, exactly?

"Virus writers tend to be lazy and build on the efforts of others. Few 
are likely to trawl through the millions of lines of code and go to the 
trouble of working out where new vulnerabilities can be found. However, 
it just takes one dedicated vandal to do the work and the tools will be 
available to all"

If this is really a problem with (some) Windows source code being made 
available, why isn't it a huge problem for Linux, with the entire 
source available to hackers and everyone else? Or how about OSX, a 
large portion of which is also open source?

On Feb 13, 2004, at 7:26 AM, Erick Andrews wrote:

> Another follow up on Mark's post on this topic, I just read this
> on the BBC and thought it was sad but hilarious.
>
> For the full spin, see:
>
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3485545.stm
>
> ...
> Thirdly, it might be the last straw for people tired of the
> security headaches that Windows creates.
>
> Fourthly, for Microsoft to have this code paraded in public
> is hugely embarrassing.  Not least because the code is
> littered with profanity and might show that many Microsoft
> programmers do not do a very good job.
>
> In the past independent programmers that have deconstructed
> other Microsoft applications have been shocked at what they
> found within the code.  Rivals and critics will be able to
> see exactly how Microsoft staff do their work.
> ...
>
> Erick Andrews
>
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   -----------
   Mitch Stone
   mitch@accidentalexpert.com

   You can fool too many of the people
   too much of the time.
   -- James Thurber