Closed-source considered harmful (was: JavaScript considered harmful)

[Oleg Broytmann]

On Tue, Jan 08, 2002 at 09:44:43AM -0800, Mark McEahern wrote:
> Oleg Broytmann
> > Users must understand their tools, because modern tools are too powerful,
> > and pressing incorrect button these days may easiliy lead to people death,
> > or huge money lost, and all that.
> 
> Hmm, I don't really understand how my car works.  I don't think that has any
> impact on my ability to be a safe driver, though.

   You understand rules how to use you car and how to drive. You know that
you shouldn't drive being drunk. You know that there are buttons that turn
on night lights... I hope you understand *why* do you need night lights?
And I hope very much you understand the difference between accelerator and
brakes, and you will never use accelerator instead of brakes!

> You're saying my mom would have to understand compilers before it would be
> safe for her to use a computer?

   Does she really use compilers? I bet she does not, but she uses browsers
and cookies. Well, she should unserstand what cookies are, how Bad Companies
use cookies to track her, and how to prevent that tracking.

   Without this understanding not only we are vulnerable, but we are just
hopeless, and doomed to be slaves of Powerful Corporations.

Oleg.
-- 
     Oleg Broytmann            http://phd.pp.ru/            phd at phd.pp.ru
           Programmers don't die, they just GOSUB without RETURN.