At 07:47 AM 11/28/2001 -0800, you wrote:

>snip

>linux, then you are wearing some rose colored glasses.  The thing with
>Linux is that you've got the source code to it and every piece
>associated with it, you can do whatever you want with it.  If you're
>stuck, then troll the net and find some kernel guru's and pay them some
>money to do something for you if you don't want to do it yourself.
>
Wait long enough and things come around again.  When I was working on IBM
mainframes a long time ago, we would "generate" (assemble) the operating
system.  I.e., the source was there to assemble and modify.  My title was
Systems Programmer because I programmed the OS.  (Hey, only slight mods...)
 Then the concept was stoped because companies didn't want their OS to be a
play toy, and for the obvious security issues.  (Hooks, backdoors, drove
the auditors crazy, think about it...)

It amazes me how our profession keeps going in circles.

Please don't get me wrong, I think there is a place for open source.  I am
currently developing an application for a client that will use the open
source version of Interbase.  It will come from the open source site, which
to me adds some additional credability to the code.  Since a team of
programmers work on it, and the source is available for all to validate,
its harder for backdoors to happen.  Key word was "harder".  An my client
can get the executables on their own, keeping my "hooks" out of the code.

Ric
Ric
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