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Microsoft to Clean Up Code

the_pooh_experience writes "Microsoft has decided to beef up their security group by adding a code cleaning group according to Infoworld. As the director of MS security engineering says: 'Microsoft is a long way from its ultimate goal where users can take security for granted in its products...the majority of viruses written attack Microsoft products.'" The new group is called Security Engineering Strategy and while it may seem long overdue to many, it's still a step in the right direction for the folks in Redmond.

21 of 466 comments (clear)

  1. in a nutshell by nounderscores · · Score: 4, Funny

    Microsoft is going to hire testing programmers?

    1. Re:in a nutshell by walt-sjc · · Score: 3, Funny

      You're thinking of the OTHER Bill.

  2. It could work.. by Mr2cents · · Score: 2, Funny

    .. but only if they clean up the bugs, and not the patches.. (Hey? what's this if-clause doing here? There is no such thing as a negative packet size!)

    --
    "It's too bad that stupidity isn't painful." - Anton LaVey
  3. job security by eternal · · Score: 1, Funny

    thats a job that will never go away

  4. Re:Port to Java! by DShard · · Score: 5, Funny

    They have. It's called J#. It's microsofts answer to a question nobody asked.

  5. Yeah, I can clean it too: by Skweetis · · Score: 4, Funny

    # dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hda bs=512

    Seriously, though, this is a good step for them, and I hope other software companies follow their good example.

  6. Insightful? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Try (-1, Tinfoil).

  7. Some name suggestions.. by jkrise · · Score: 3, Funny

    "The new group is called Security Engineering Strategy"

    A weak name, I suppose. Some suggestions:

    1. Next Generation Secure Computing Strategy.
    2. Social Engineering Strategy.
    3. Brainwashing Services (BS, for short).
    4. Severe Acute Repair Services Group (SARS group)
    5. Purity Enhancing Networked Information Services. (figure it out)

    --
    If you keep throwing chairs, one day you'll break windows....
  8. Re:Poppycock. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    TCPA^WPalladium^WNext Generation Secure Computing Base.

    vi commands are not known by your browser. Please use backspace.

  9. You Cannot Clean The Code.. by Gaggme · · Score: 4, Funny

    ..you can only realize the truth, that the Windows codes is the virus.

    --
    My ignorance is a perfect shield against your logic.
  10. Re:more of the same by Martigan80 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Actually this was in itself a security leak, the matter is being looked into.

    --
    This SIG pulled due to lack of funding. (This damn war is costing too much!)
  11. In other news, by Sevn · · Score: 1, Funny

    Farmer John has decided to close the gate after all
    the horses have run away.

    --
    For every annoying gentoo user, are three even more annoying anti-gentoo crybabies. Take Yosh from #Gimp for example.
  12. Re:I'm suprised... by Lord_Slepnir · · Score: 4, Funny

    They do, but some times a clean compile just isn't enough of a code audit.

  13. Re:more of the same by JayJay.br · · Score: 5, Funny

    Might be the 6th initiative. But don't worry, they're goin to get back to the source, and Zion will be destroyed again.

  14. No kidding! by ackthpt · · Score: 5, Funny
    more of the same lip service from our friends at Redmond. is this the 3rd, or 4th 'security' initiative?

    NEWSFLASH!: Microsoft invents quality control! source code reveiw measures, internal cooperation among units, standardized enterprise wide security measures! Patents soon to follow!

    It certainly makes me wonder what the hell they've been doing all these years, besides making gigantic amounts of profit...

    Oh... right, less money on development costs == more profits. Now I see why Steve Ballmer and Bill have been selling off so much stock.

    --

    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
  15. Re:Slashdot's Microsoft Obsession by krystal_blade · · Score: 4, Funny

    Look at this story...what's really that new or interesting here? This looks like just another opportunity for slashbots and "M$" haters to get their kicks.

    You're new here, aren't you?

    krystal_blade

    --
    It will be easy to motivate our fellow man; there is hardly anything people treasure more than not being annihilated.
  16. Suddenly it all makes sense now by TheConfusedOne · · Score: 2, Funny

    1) UNIX IP License.
    2) Plan to clean up code.

    All they have to do is start swapping files. :-D

    --
    --- I wish I could hear the soundtrack to my life. That way I'd know when to duck.
  17. Re:Brainwave at Microsoft.. by jkrise · · Score: 0, Funny

    The Code Cleaning group has come up with a brillinat idea! Instead of releasing buggy code and fixing it with Service Packs later, the new technique is to release Service Packs first... typically in the form of leaks. Once this is done, then the 'previous' versions are leaked. After a while, the code reaches the users.

    This way, users are sure to get fully patched OSes from day one. Similar strategies are being adopted by anti-virus s/w writers as well.

    --
    If you keep throwing chairs, one day you'll break windows....
  18. Re:I'm telling you again - Hire Theo. by Daniel+Phillips · · Score: 3, Funny

    What Bill should do is contract Theo de Raadt of OpenBSD. He has to be one of the lord high masters of code cleanup in the whole world. Pay boffo bucks, send a Gulfstream to get him and give him some Bill face time.

    Knowing Theo, he'd tell billg to get stuffed.

    --
    Have you got your LWN subscription yet?
  19. its easy by azoidx · · Score: 3, Funny

    cat bad_code.c |grep -v getchar > good_code.c

  20. OpenBSD + Windows by revividus · · Score: 2, Funny
    OpenWindows?

    Doesn't sound too secure...