Microsoft Opens Guarded Source Code to Governments

bluesignsbluesigns
Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
[quote]Microsoft Opens Guarded Source Code to Governments

By REUTERS



Filed at 10:58 p.m. ET



SEATTLE (Reuters) - In an unprecedented move, Microsoft Corp. (MSFT.O) said on Tuesday that it would open its source code -- the software giant's closely guarded blueprints for programs -- to governments and international organizations worldwide.



Under the initiative, called the Government Security Program, the world's largest software maker said governments and their agencies would be able to examine its source code to enhance the security of their software, used for tasks such as tracking personal data, taxes and ensuring national security.



The move is aimed at strengthening Microsoft's position in government markets where it is already the largest or second-largest government supplier of software.



``We have a business interest in having people feel completely comfortable with our software, whether it is mission critical or not,'' Craig Mundie, Microsoft's Chief Technology Officer, told Reuters.



The NATO defense alliance, as well as Russia, have already agreed to participate in the program, and discussions with more than 60 other governments and agencies are being held, Mundie said, adding that any cooperation with Microsoft would be disclosed at the discretion of each government agency.

<hr></blockquote>



<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/technology/tech-tech-microsoft-government.html"; target="_blank">http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/technology/tech-tech-microsoft-government.html</a>;

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the 2 things that leapt to my mind:

first was "whoa" and second was "hmm..."

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 8
    spotcatbugspotcatbug Posts: 195member
    [quote]Originally posted by bluesigns:

    <strong>the 2 things that leapt to my mind:

    first was "whoa" and second was "hmm..."</strong><hr></blockquote>



    "hmm..." was first, for me
  • Reply 2 of 8
    artman @_@artman @_@ Posts: 2,546member
    ...and if this code gets into the wrong hands? Hoooboy... :eek: <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" />
  • Reply 3 of 8
    stupider...likeafoxstupider...likeafox Posts: 1,618member
    definite hmm...



    It's the usual MS marketing nonsense, read this for more info:

    <a href="http://212.100.234.54/content/4/28869.html"; target="_blank">http://212.100.234.54/content/4/28869.html</a>;



    edit: I don't know why it's an ip address, it's the register.



    [ 01-15-2003: Message edited by: stupider...likeafox ]</p>
  • Reply 4 of 8
    artman @_@artman @_@ Posts: 2,546member
    "Microsoft will apparently be giving online access to a strangely precise 97 per cent of the source, while the balance, which is really secret, and we don't know what it is, will only be available at Microsoft's offices in Redmond."



    :eek: <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" />



    Sorry. I think the whole thing could explode in their face. Literally...
  • Reply 5 of 8
    ast3r3xast3r3x Posts: 5,012member
    rumor has it that its not run on a MS server because they dont want it to be hacked
  • Reply 6 of 8
    amorphamorph Posts: 7,112member
    Perhaps now we'll find out if what I heard from some DEC engineers is true, and Windows really does contain "the worst code they've ever seen" (they'd been on the team that ported NT to Alpha).



    Who knows? The sheer terror of actually seeing MS code might drive the adoption of alternative platforms to new highs! At least if you see an ugly patch of code in Linux you can write and submit a better one, and patch your local copy...
  • Reply 7 of 8
    ast3r3xast3r3x Posts: 5,012member
    [quote]Originally posted by Amorph:

    <strong>Perhaps now we'll find out if what I heard from some DEC engineers is true, and Windows really does contain "the worst code they've ever seen" (they'd been on the team that ported NT to Alpha).



    Who knows? The sheer terror of actually seeing MS code might drive the adoption of alternative platforms to new highs! At least if you see an ugly patch of code in Linux you can write and submit a better one, and patch your local copy...</strong><hr></blockquote>



    haha, wouldn't that be grand if people spoke out about how horrile the code was



    ...MS's code is obviously buggy, why would they be showing it?
  • Reply 8 of 8
    bluesignsbluesigns Posts: 315member
    [quote]



    Microsoft Giving Russia Access to Code





    MOSCOW (AP) -- Software giant Microsoft is giving the Russian government access to its secret source code for Windows operating systems as part of a global effort to improve information security, company officials said Monday.



    ``This is a very big step,'' said Olga Dergunova, managing director of Microsoft's Moscow office. The company will reveal the ``architecture and principles'' behind Windows, she said, in what analysts say is an effort to keep governments from switching to cheaper alternatives. <hr></blockquote>



    <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/international/AP-Russia-Microsoft.html"; target="_blank">http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/international/AP-Russia-Microsoft.html</a>;

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