Story: Mozilla hits back at browser security claim

Posted by: Thomas Corriher (Tuesday 20 September 2005, 5:21 PM)

What is this REALLY telling us? It tells us that Microsoft is again concerned by fair competition -- the thing it hates most. I suspect their lackies at Wagg Ed are probably behind this if we let history be our teacher: or did I hear they were replaced? Hmm.. Anyway.... As a general rule in life, we should see those people who use fear to manipulate us are the ones we actually should be the most afraid of. It is good for business for Symantic to be a "team player" (cough ... "Linux Viruses"... cough... gag), -- this isn't the first time.

The fact is, and Symantic developers must know this, there should be more weakenesses found in open source software like Mozilla. That's the enitre point of it being open source -- for the good guys to find all the security weaknesses to repair -- whereas the opposing Microsoft appoarch is to hide them. Just because Microsoft's customers don't know about security weaknesses, doesn't mean the bad guys won't find them and silently use them. Hiding one's head in the sand is not security. Every other field of engineering requires peer review, so why do so many people not require peer review for the technology they are trusting their future to? For certain companies, fear and security weaknesses are very good for business, so they are "team players".

Linux is frightening to companies like Symantic who have made virus fighting their bread and butter. It doesn't have to be like this. They could shift into other service areas instead of fighting the progression of technology. Of course, this requires character from the people in upper management, so I'm not too hopeful about them, because I know corporate America well.

Symantic is filled with security experts, so they know the whole story about WHY more discovered exploits in Mozilla is a good thing, but according to this article, they are expectedly not telling the whole story. There's a word for people who hide part of the truth to accomplish selfish goals... now what was that word...

By the way, if you happen to be an employee of Symantic, you probably should not feel affronted by my words. Most of you are probably good people, and typically highly skilled, and are innocent of the games mean to hurt competition through deception. It's a dirty business isn't it? Alsa, if there were an industry without massive corruption, I'd be there.