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Convincing the Military to Embrace Open Source

Posted by Zonk on from the talking-to-a-brick-wall dept.

drewmoney writes "Misconceptions about what 'open source software' means has made elements of the US Defense Department reluctant to deploy in a live environment. DoD proponents of shared-source projects are now working to reverse this trend by educating IT decision-makers and demonstrating OSS usefulness. 'The cost of cleaning up a "network spill" that introduces classified material on an unclassified network is running about US$11,000 per incident on the Navy/Marine Corps Intranet (NMCI), so the free Secure Save tool could produce monetary savings for the Navy. Additionally, it would cover more file formats than the costly commercial redaction product currently available on the NMCI.'"

2 of 164 comments (clear)

  1. Re:No thanks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

    On another note, why should you object to having the military using code you've written? You're failing to understand that the men in uniform are under a binding contract, and that they are sacrificing every day to defend their nation. Firstly, they're not all "men". Some are women! Secondly, he's not talking about the ones "defending their nation", he's talking about the ones "waging an illegal war of aggression against a country that never attacked nor even threatened the U.S."

    The US Military does not create policy, civilian politicians do - the military is just a tool of policy. They need all the tools at their disposal to do their job of keeping the United States safe, however that job is defined by the politicians. What about their job of blowing the crap out of Iraq? Should people be allowed to have opinions about that? Does blowing up Iraqis really "keep the United States safe"? If so, how?
  2. Re:No thanks by Revotron · · Score: 1, Troll

    I'll tell you what... Why don't you go to your local military base and say that to a soldier's face?

    Judging by your tone of voice, you obviously don't understand that there are millions and millions of men and women who have sacrificed themselves so you can speak those very words of hatred for their cause. So, because they have signed their life away to defend you and your family, you are going to deny them the tools that could very well save their lives, and yours in the process, because you take issue with the politicians on Capitol Hill?

    And since when did a country need to threaten the US in order for there to be justification of a war? The US is suddenly forbidden from coming to the defense of other nations? I'm sure the Kurds would love to speak with you - well, those that survived the gas attacks, that is.

    Fuck politics, you can believe whatever you want to (by the way, thank a soldier for that), but the one thing you do not do is speak ill of a man who would die for you and your family.

    There goes my karma, but it was worth it.