|
Thursday, January 29, 2004
Ng: Sharing Microsoft’s source code
By Wilson Ng
Wired Desktop
PHONES HATED. A phone survey was done by Massachusetts Institute of Technology on 1,023 adults and 500 teenagers. When asked what inventions they hate the most but can’t live without, 30 percent answered the cell phone, 25 percent said the alarm clock, 23 percent said the television, and 14 percent said razors. Microwave ovens, computers and answering machines were also chosen.
The survey is conducted annually to gauge public opinion toward inventions and technology.
“The interconnec-tedness you get from the cell phone is a very positive thing ... The downside is that you sometimes want to be alone,” said Lemelson Center Director Merton C. Flemings.
Up to 95 percent of the respondents, though, felt new technology really improved the quality of their lives. However, issues about cell phones going off in public places or in meetings are things that potentially cause user embarrassment.
People also have a love-hate relationship with television. We all want to watch TV, but sometimes you end up watching too late, and the next day having difficulty getting up. Some people hate it because of its ability to take over their lives.
INTERNATIONAL GOVERNMENTS. Microsoft has moved to share the source code of its Windows operating systems with international governments. According to a news release, this program is called the Government Security Program or GSP, which provides governments with access to source code and information so that governments will be able to retain confidence in the security of the software, like Windows 2000, Windows Server, and Windows XP.
This is not the first time Microsoft has proposed to share source code. Under a different program called Shared Source Initiative, Microsoft shares Windows source code with various companies, and also with governments notably the American, Austrian, Swedish, and Swiss governments.
This is a response to the clamor by governments that want to know exactly what’s going on in the software it uses, and some governments are starting to consider legislation that would require the use of open source software.
This kind of transparency is starting to get popular. Before the Supreme Court decided to junk the computer quick count project of the Comelec, one of the solutions proposed was to publish the source code of the program used.
One of the 60 countries that Microsoft is targeting is China. China has been very hesitant to use Windows because it is afraid there may be backdoor or secret entrances where, for instance, another foreign agency can take over a computer or retrieve information from it.
So the latest development is a welcome initiative. For years, Microsoft had treated its source code like crown jewels. I still don’t know whether the Philippine government is one of the countries that are eligible. But if it is, it certainly should try to take advantage of it.
(Wilson welcomes readers’ comments at wilson@esprint.com.)
(January 29, 2004 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
[ return
to top ]
[ home
]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
