FOSS and the Fear Factor

In a world dominated for too long by Systemed Inferno, Linux fans will have to forgive if they perhaps seize a little too much euphoria over a scrap of cheerful news coming any day.

Of course, for the good news, there can be no better place than the Regal effort. Long-time Linux advocate and all-around-hero-for-kids run by Ken Starks, as cautious readers may recall, Regal has just last week to support its efforts in the coming year Started an all-new fundraising effort on Indiegogo.

Since 2005, Regal has donated more than 1,600 and then placed computers in the homes of financially disadvantaged children in Central Texas. Next year, it aims to place 200 more, plus pay for the first 90 days of Internet connection for each of them.

"As used as the term, the 'digital divide' is alive and well in parts of America," Starks explained. "We will bridge the division where we can."

How to have a heap of hope and inspiration?

Windows as Attack Vector

Discouraging FOSS is giving fans a bit of a well-earned legitimacy, meanwhile - and perhaps even the slightest levity - news that Russian hackers have apparently used Windows as a weapon against the rest of the world Started doing as

"Russian hackers use Windows against NATO" is the headline on Fortune, making it clear to all the world that Windows is not a stronghold of security, which it can say.

The satire in the comments section on Google+ on that one is knee-deep.

'Hackers Confidence'

Of course, malicious hacking is no laughing matter, and the FOSS world has gained a bitter taste of influences in recent months, with Hartley and Shellshock's flaws just to name two.

Is this enough to scare Linux aficionados away?

This is essentially a suggestion of Bloomberg, whose story, in a twist called "Hackers Confidence in the Free Software Idealism of the 1980s," is more than that of some FOSS fans' knights.

'No software is perfect'

"None of this has shaken my faith a bit," for example, insisted Linux blogger Mike Stone, below, in the blog Windows Broken Windows Lounge.

"I remember a time when you couldn't put a Windows machine on a network without firewall software or it would be infected with viruses / malware in seconds," he explained. "I don't remember the articles claiming that trust in Microsoft was shaken.

"The fact of the matter is that no software is perfect, not even FOSS, but it comes closer than the alternatives," Stone said.

'My faith is just fine'

"It's hard to get started even where the Bloomberg article fails" consultant and slashdot blogger Gerhard Mack.

Mac explained, "For one, decompilers have existed for ages and allow black hats to find flaws in proprietary software, so black-hats can detect problems but cannot accept them." The thing, it's been a long time since most open source volunteers were written, and most contributions need to be paid.

He added, "The author rips off those who use open source to not contribute openly, when most listed companies are already members of the Linux Foundation, so they already contribute." Are, "he said.

In short, "my belief in open source is right now, and no clickbait Bloomberg article will change it," Mac concluded.

'Author is wrong'

The word "Clickbait" is also Alessandro Ibersoll, a Google+ blogger chosen to describe the Bloomberg account.

"I couldn't see that the author was trying to make that point, except for the sensations and the ideas," Linux Girl said.

"The author is wrong," Ebersole alleged. "They should educate themselves on the subject. The drawbacks are the consequences of lack of funds, and a lot of corporations take advantage of free software and offer nothing."

Furthermore, "I still believe that a piece of code that can be studied and examined by many is far safer than a piece created by some," Google+ blogger Gonzalo Velasco c.

"All the rumors that FLOSS is as weak as proprietary software is only FUD - period," he said. "It is even more sad when it comes from private companies that drink at the FLOSS Fountain."

'Source helps to ensure security'

A blogger, a blogger who works on the Ledger SMB project, had a similar approach.

"I think that having the source available helps ensure security for well-designed, well-maintained software," he began.

"Those of us who develop on such software must necessarily approach the security process under a different set of constraints than proprietary vendors," Travers explained.

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