Still using Windows? Hmmm?
Microsoft has signed a deal to open its Windows 7 source code up to the Russian intelligence services.
Russian publication Vedomosti reported on Wednesday that Microsoft had also given the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) access to Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2, Microsoft Office 2010 and Microsoft SQL Server source code, with hopes of improving Microsoft sales to the Russian state.
Happy with that?
So they can read the code. Does this let them do anything they can’t do with Linux?
I’d much rather worry about them checking something in, not about them reading what’s already there. Is it any easier to suborn a Microsoft kernel programmer than his Linux brethren?
In Linux’s favor, openness might be something of an advantage in repairing those kind of shenanigans, if detected.
No, opening the source up is neutral, as you say. Clambering into bed with Russia’s intelligence services though, that isn’t so neutral.
Well, I think it’s a generally positive move. Let’s not forget that MS has stopped further development of Flight Emulator, and now, with lots of new and willing coders we may yet see a renaissance of that one. At least.