Posted on 03/23/2006 6:06:18 AM PST by Halfmanhalfamazing
Ah, I see where you're going. So it doesn't matter if the government saves your tax dollars, only that the contractors get their share of the pie. How about if the government hires a contractor to modify some open source software to suit its needs? But that's a stupid distinction where it concerns our tax dollars, as either they pay a contractor or pay employees, either way the money gets spent.
You call him a kook, but then march along in perfect lockstep.
Really? How? Shall I show you the posts confirming you a liar now, or shall I wait while you scramble for evidence to back up your assertion?
Okay fine, if they pay a nominal fee for it, is that okay? For a few hundred dollars you can get some really cool stuff from NASA Open Channel Publishes the NASA COSMIC Collection.
[WARNING: I am NOT responsible for any strokes, heart attacks, coniption fits or other ailments or stresses that might befall you for following that link.]
Granted it requires free registration to access the site, and the software is technically limited to US distribution, but it does usually include the source code.
In any event, human knowledge is advancing at an almost exponential rate. The world you envision doesn't exist anymore, if it ever really did.
I know you're saddend by the world passing you by. I would suggest that you get help; take a vaction, get laid, take up drinking; something, anything, to help you come to grips with reality.
Oh and BTW: There is a fair amount of speculation and supposition, that what Russia provided to Iraq in the link you referenced, was what we wanted them to know. And here's the interesting part: Russia might have been a willing particpant in the deception.
Very true! We agree absolutely on this one!
And when the software is open source I truly get to use my own property that I paid for with my taxes. I mean I actually get to use it myself, not have to pay for it yet again because the government allowed a contractor to resell it.
You care only about corporate profit off the taxpayer, not the taxpayer himself.
Same basic statement the anti-Republic Rat made. You boys love technology more than you do your own country, and will sell your country out in a heartbeat if it means you get some free technology. I've known it all along too, go back and look at my comments like #55, I've already accused you of such and am once again vindicated.
Russia might have been a willing particpant in the deception.
LOL, your defense of Russia obviously has no limits.
Already been over this, OF COURSE. Just because American citizens may get access doesn't mean every citizen of the world deserves access. Have Americans apply, and if they are found to actually be Americans, and not illegal aliens or actually living and working in Cuba, they might get access.
It simply doesn't make sense that we have to give every right we give Americans to everyone in the world. Do you want everyone in Africa on US welfare? Well in your case, probably.
You're right, it's an insane thought that others could have important technology that we want. I mean without foreigners, we would only be missing the following for our defense:
Designed and originally manufactured in Belgium
Armor design from the UK, 120mm smoothbore gun design from Germany.
And of course those stupid foreigners couldn't design something like the World Wide Web, right?
So why isn't the US sharing the JSF code with Britain, and why did we block the sale of Sourcefire to Israel?
Must be driving the no-borders software crowd crazy, LMAO.
I see, the idea of the free exchange of ideas and information is bad. No tangible bennefit can return to us in the form of increased power, production or knowledge.
Thank God the founders of this country felt different. Imagine the money they wasted sitting in those smokey back rooms at the local tavern eating and drinking, thinking up ideas and then, the horror, freely sharing them with others!
They should have SOLD the idea of freedom and liberty. I mean freedom isn't free is it. And my God, think of ALL the money we're spending in Iraq right now. Not to mention exporting our ideas about freedom and democracy. I don't think we'll ever make a profit on the billions spent in Iraq. We should cut our losses and pull out now.
Well, my family's been in this land since before it was a sovereign country. I love it very much. In fact I believe in it and its people so much, that I'm not worried about letting other people know how to say "Hello world" on their computer screens or whatever else they may decide to do with said technology, whether the ideas come from our shores or their own.
You're problem is: well, you have a myriad of problems, but your main one is apparently paranoia or possibly brain washing by your master in Redmond. Could be both.
Does Gates pay you by the word or number of posts?
Because they've decided that code was sensitive, unlike other code that they've released.
nd why did we block the sale of Sourcefire to Israel?
Back to the beginning of the circle. I'm still not sure about that. Snort is already open, so it had no effect there. As I said, my best bet is they didn't want a foreign company controlling the main fork. That plus Sourcefire comes with some proprietary code in addition to Snort, and the government didn't trust that a foreign entity wouldn't sneak a back door into it. They can verify that Snort is clean, but they can't verify that the rest of Sourcefire is.
The government of course has the power to block such a sale under the foreign commerce clause of the Constitution.
Well good for us, looks like we're finally starting to learn how ignorant it is to give software technology away, even to our allies who are paying for it, but especially to adversaries who have been getting it for free.
We're not "finally starting to learn," we've been making those decisions all along. If we always kept everything secret, you wouldn't have an Internet to post your drivel on.
So, when are you going to stop using open source software?
That model might just work whenever the software is actually sensitive (and very little is). Why don't you write up a license? Of course we'd then be locking ourselves out from the contributions of talented foreigners, so we wouldn't be able to expect as much improvement as we'd get with real open source.
Internet wasn't immediately given to everyone, especially not our adversaries. It was controlled, like all technology developed by our government needs to be, until the impact can be studied and scrutinized, not your approach of "Hey Russia! We got some new supercomputer technology for you! All you care to download, and if you overload our servers, we'll buy bigger ones!".
So, when are you going to stop using open source software?
I've already told you, impossible to do these days in my position, but that doesn't mean I don't recognize the dangers a guy like Stallman presents. He's got you so brainwashed you might as well be his lawyer.
As I've already told you, I understand if your professional position requires you to use open source software.
But you can afford to not use it recreationally. Limit the harm, stop using open source software, especially GPL, when you don't have to in order to put dinner on the table.
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