Microsoft getting scared by Governments uptake of Linux

edesignuk

Moderator emeritus

Original poster

• Aug 2, 2003

• #1

From Wired.com Article:
Microsoft said Thursday it had given a dozen national governments access to its Windows source code in its battle to win lucrative public sector contracts and muffle mounting hype over rival software Linux.

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Full Article

 

MrMacMan

macrumors 604

• Aug 2, 2003

• #2

*yawn*

Is there really anything they *will not* do?

🙁


Pssttt. Can someone in the government send me the windows source code?

🙄

 

P-Worm

macrumors 68020

• Aug 2, 2003

• #3

Is it really a question of money? I thought they were moving to Linux because Windows sucks. 😕

P-Worm

 

Flynnstone

macrumors 65816

• Aug 2, 2003

• #4

access to its Windows source code is like a screen door in a submarine ...close to useless.
Linux gives you access to kernal source, but ... you can change it and fix bugs.
Microsoft only gives access, you can't change anything. You would have to request that Microsoft change it (if they want to).

 

P

panphage

macrumors 6502

• Aug 3, 2003

• #5

And once you view the sacred windows source you are contaminated and can never code again. If you do, MS will sue you for IP infringement for stealing their buggy, crufty source.

 

AppleMatt

macrumors 68000

• Aug 3, 2003

• #6

Originally posted by panphage
And once you view the sacred windows source you are contaminated and can never code again. If you do, MS will sue you for IP infringement for stealing their buggy, crufty source.

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This is a good point. I expect they've got every conceivable routine in Windows now, they seem to enjoy cramming more stuff in.

"Microsoft sue 12yr old IT student for using an IF statement in his first calculator program."

AppleMatt

 

Ambrose Chapel

macrumors 65816

• Aug 4, 2003

• #7

I wish the U.S. gov't would switch to Linux (well, OS X ideally, but...). This whole Homeland Security announcement of Windoze adoption followed by the huge bug announcement is too funny though...

 

P

panphage

macrumors 6502

• Aug 5, 2003

• #8

The NSA will probably push for Government adoption of linux. They wrote a hardened kernel as a proof of concept. You can get it off the NSA site it you trust them not to have ugly data-collecting trojans in there. I think it's source code though, so they couldn't do that and get away from it. I'll try and dig up the link.

 

Sun Baked

macrumors G5

• Aug 5, 2003

• #9

Re: IBM has won the U.S. government's Common Criteria Security Certification for SuSE

This is what a bunch of the govt. sites were waiting for ...

It's the first step to wider adoption, and though it's only given the lowest levels of security at the moment ... IBM's pushing to get their servers and Linux qualified for higher security levels.

This is for IBM Servers and SuSE Linux only, not qualified for any other equipment.

Linux gets wider government OK

Carrie Kirby, Chronicle Staff Writer Tuesday, August 5, 2003

A version of the Linux operating system has been certified for broad government use for the first time, IBM is expected to announce today.

Currently, most federal and state governments that use Linux limit it to general office tasks, said IBM director of Linux software solutions Scott Handy.

But now that IBM has won the U.S. government's Common Criteria Security Certification for SuSE Linux, a version of the operating system sold by a German company of the same name, it can sell servers running Linux to governments for essential computer systems...

[there's more... deleted to end]

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Abstract

macrumors Penryn

• Aug 5, 2003

• #10

As I know nothing about programming or the technical side of computers, I can only imagine that switching to Linux is a great thing. I hope Microsoft loses it's iron grip after a long struggle........and maybe Bill Gates will be given a wedgy by upper government security officials and have his lunch money stolen. And by lunch money, I mean $27,567. 😎