It's Time For Open Source-- Part 2

A chinese student has recently sued Microsoft for using Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) to infringe in his privacy. See the link below.


http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-09/13/content_6718045.htm


This highlights a much bigger problem. Without the source code one simply doesn't know how much information a product (e.g. Microsoft Office) is collecting about its users and then sending back over the network to some other location like a corporate headquarters. The ability to collect information plus the ability to apply a reduced functionality mode (see my previous blogs) adds up to a lot of power.

Open source is not only THE choice for the protection of privacy, it is potentially the ONLY choice for the protection of privacy. Perhaps Verdantium, perhaps something else, but I think an open-source productivity suite makes a lot of sense today.