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Should Open Source Software Expire?

Posted by michael on from the forced-retirement dept.

Daffy writes "Jon Lasser at SecurityFocus has an idea for combating the tendancy most sysadmins have to leave old versions of software running long after they're known to have security holes. He proposes implanting time codes into all open source networking and security software that cause it to "expire" like a Blade Runner replicant when it reaches a certain age, forcing an update."

2 of 549 comments (clear)

  1. howabout this... by TheLocustNMI · · Score: 5, Funny

    howzabout if it sits around to long, it sends a message to your boss to replace you, the lazy admin, you frickin' slacker!

    that'd be preferable.

    --
    thelocust[dot]org
  2. I can see it now... by mav[LAG] · · Score: 5, Funny

    [root@owl.tyrell.com] /usr/local/apache/bin/apachectl start
    Starting httpd - please wait...
    How old am I?
    ^C
    My birthday's April 10 2017 - how long do I live?
    ^C^C^C^C
    Nothing is worse than having an itch you can never scratch!
    ^C^C^ZC^Z^C^Z^CZ^C^C^C^C^Z^C^C^C
    Wake up! Time to die!
    Starting httpd... [FAILED]
    mod_leon died prematurely...
    [root@owl.tyrell.com]#

    --
    --- Hot Shot City is particularly good.