[vox-tech] Microsoft triumphs over open source in India

[ME]

Norm Matloff said:
> Linux seems to have a better chance with the Chinese government.
> Interesting, they view it as a security issue--they don't view Windows
> as insecure, but consider dependency on it to be insecure.

One of the reasons for China to consider Linux over MS Windows has to do
with open source vs closed source.

What can happen in a closed source system? Consider NSA_KEY and Windows
issue from year 2000 where "NSA_KEY" was found in unstripped code from a
MS Windows Service pack that should have been stripped:
http://cryptome.org/nsakey-ms-dc.htm

If it is a back door, or extra method for access, what foreign government
would want to buy a product like this. What kinds of guarantees can such a
company offer about their product that can be belived.

If you are into conspiracy theories, consider asking yourself why (in the
mid-1990's) MS was granted permission by our government to export strong
encryption (128 bit key length ssl cert) with their web browser long
before Netscape...

Of course, correlation is not causation, but it would seem there would be
incentive for MS to play nice with our government and make deals.

/me looks for people muttering about Carnivore, ESCHELON, and [censored by
the patriot act].

Is everyone wearing their tinfoil hats? Mine has pasta salad in it to stop
the aliens from reading my thought. ;-)