Instead of over-reacting and saying “this must stop”, he should be taking advantage of his time in the limelight and offering a solution such as:
“rather than allow this type of practice to continue, more stringent
software implementation and integration processes need to be
adopted. While this is not guaranteed to eliminate the potential
threat posed by the un-controlled introduction of OpenSource
code into a sensitive environment, it _will_ allow us to better track it’s
adoption and from there, it’s potential impact to the projects in which
it’s already being used”

[Bottom Line]: Instead of blaming the technology, blame the process, fix the procedures, and review, review,review.

It’s either that, or only grant SSO’s the ability to download new code and don’t allow any downloads by unauthorized (non-SSO types) personnel.

’nuff said

This guy is seeing Linux as a new competator in his own market Real Time Operating Systems used for embedded devices. Its looking increasingly as though Linux will take this particular market over — not the 2.6 kernel itself, of course, but derivative compatible kernels built using 2.6 as a base.

MS has made some timid inroads in this area, but simply has not shown that much interest in it. I think we just have a guy who is frightened by new competition in an industry that was previously pretty insular.

And US armed forces are not the only ones. I recall having seen Slackware distro, in 1997, being used by russinas for missile control computers.

I shall be eternally grateful to some one who can talk to Dan and make him understand the value/meaning of Linux.

Or am I wrong. Is Dan perpetuator of M$ FUD???

What about the thousands of malicious programs for Windows? And the leak of the source code…. one back door or 20,000 backdoors, spyware, viruses, and worms. Don’t get me wrong, the man makes some very interesting points, but come on, don’t pull the “back door” card, as if no other OS has exploits.

“If Linux is compromised, our defenses could be disabled, spied on or commandeered”

Another good point, but Windows is compromised on a daily basis. So the defense department uses Linux, great, now hire a couple of developers, and have them scan though the code before implementing. With Linux, you know what you are getting, and yes, you have the choice not to install it. With other OSes, you have what comes with it, no choice, not even a peek at the code that makes it all work.

In short, no platform will be free of exploits, holes, and malicious software, but with open source, at least the active developer can do something about it.