Oolite Bulletins

It's difficult to imagine open source software having anywhere near as much stealth functionality as the proprietary stuff. There are too many people remarkably clever people working on it I think.

I wonder who paid disney to throw that in there - and just how much they were paid.

I really wouldn't take it too seriously anyway, when you consider the source .... Disney... I mean really, this is the same corporation that made native Americans look like simpletons on Peter Pan. I have a two year old son, and only about half of their work is remotely acceptable for him (their older movies are definitely the worst).

CommRLock78 wrote:

I wonder who paid disney to throw that in there - and just how much they were paid.

I wonder if Billy has controlling stock.

The biggest shareholder used to be Steve Jobs…

Ahruman wrote:

The biggest shareholder used to be Steve Jobs…

Interesting... but obviously no longer the case. I wonder if Billy is the next runner-up.

Greyth wrote:

It's difficult to imagine open source software having anywhere near as much stealth functionality as the proprietary stuff. There are too many people remarkably clever people working on it I think.

What open source developer / contributor would want to mar their reputation by doing such a thing ? It's totally preposterous. I only just now noticed your statement - right on the mark, Greyth . It is hard to imagine something like Compiz (or literally any other package for that matter) as having any stealth functionality at all, and if some jerk put some in, another developer would notice and promptly remove it. Free and open sauce is a beautiful and delicious thing - we owe a debt of gratitude to people like Richard Stallman (and many many many others as well - but it was his vision).

CommRLock78 wrote:

Greyth wrote:

It's difficult to imagine open source software having anywhere near as much stealth functionality as the proprietary stuff. There are too many people remarkably clever people working on it I think.

What open source developer / contributor would want to mar their reputation by doing such a thing ? It's totally preposterous. I only just now noticed your statement - right on the mark, Greyth ;). It is hard to imagine something like Compiz (or literally any other package for that matter) as having any stealth functionality at all, and if some jerk put some in, another developer would notice and promptly remove it.

I’m sorry, but this is entirely wrong. It is demonstrably easy to hide malicious behaviour in apparently innocuous code in mainstream languages (see, for instance, the Underhanded C Contest). Code review is of little value as a defence, and I suspect the vast majority of open source code actually receives very little review.

This is not to say that there’s any good reason to believe it’s especially prevalent, but the idea that open source is immune to hidden malicious behaviours is simply ignorant.

Ahruman wrote:

... but the idea that open source is immune to hidden malicious behaviours is simply ignorant.

That's funny, I don't recall ever saying it was immune....

CommRLock78 wrote:

That's funny, I don't recall ever saying it was immune....

I contend that that’s exactly what you said, just in other words.

Ahruman wrote:

CommRLock78 wrote:

That's funny, I don't recall ever saying it was immune....

I contend that that’s exactly what you said, just in other words.

Wrong. I said that mainstream packages are not going to have any kind of stealth abilities - and I stand by that, but I never once said that it was immune - ever, so don't put words in my mouth, dude. In fact I've said quite the opposite in another thread, so again, don't be putting your silly words in my mouth.

Apologies, couldn't resist the joke.

Remember, "friendliest board this side of Reidquat"!

Selezen wrote:

Remember, "friendliest board this side of Riedquat"!

And I couldn't resist fixing that for you!

<DAMMIT>

Reidquat - ancient Disan for "f***ing hard to spell"

Selezen wrote:

Reidquat - ancient Disan for "f***ing hard to spell" ;-)

As it happens, it seems to be spelt thus in some Frontier fiction too.

My apologies for being so brusque - it was a stressful start to the week, and I wasn't a fan of having my words twisted.

(Great cartoon, Selezen )