Guest resonator80 Posted July 15, 2007 Posted July 15, 2007 Computerized voting systems (aka DREs or Direct Recording Electronic) must be based on an operating system, for example, Windows or Linux. Linux has the advantage of being open so that all the source code can be open. Windows source code will not be opened to anyone. Some people have argued that the basic Windows operating system can remain secret as long as the voting application program (i.e. C, Python, etc) is open. Here are some questions about such an arrangement. 1. Could someone tamper with the Windows OS or put in some additional code that would not be found in an inspection of the application program that could alter the results? 2. Could viruses and other malware affect the OS and, ultimately, an election without its effects being detected by examining the application program? Any other comments are welcome. Thanks, Bill Edelstein Baltimore, MD
Guest Shenan Stanley Posted July 15, 2007 Posted July 15, 2007 Re: Linux vs. windows for voting systems? resonator80 wrote: > Computerized voting systems (aka DREs or Direct Recording > Electronic) must be based on an operating system, for example, > Windows or Linux. > > Linux has the advantage of being open so that all the source code > can be open. Windows source code will not be opened to anyone. > > Some people have argued that the basic Windows operating system can > remain secret as long as the voting application program (i.e. C, > Python, etc) is open. > > Here are some questions about such an arrangement. > > 1. Could someone tamper with the Windows OS or put in some > additional code that would not be found in an inspection of the > application program that could alter the results? > > 2. Could viruses and other malware affect the OS and, ultimately, an > election without its effects being detected by examining the > application program? > > Any other comments are welcome. > > Thanks, > Bill Edelstein > Baltimore, MD Posting it twice? Homework assignment? 1) Possibly - any OS/software could be affected this way. 2) Possibly - again any OS/software could be affected this way. You'd have to be much more detailed in order to be able to give a definitive answer. After all - who is examining the application/operating system? How is it secured physically and with software? Is it on a network or not? How is the data collected stored? Is it ever transferred anywhere? etc and so on. -- Shenan Stanley MS-MVP -- How To Ask Questions The Smart Way http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
Guest news Posted July 15, 2007 Posted July 15, 2007 Re: Linux vs. windows for voting systems? resonator80 wrote: > Computerized voting systems (aka DREs or Direct Recording Electronic) > must be based on an operating system, for example, Windows or Linux. > > Linux has the advantage of being open so that all the source code can > be open. Windows source code will not be opened to anyone. > > Some people have argued that the basic Windows operating system can > remain secret as long as the voting application program (i.e. C, > Python, etc) is open. > > Here are some questions about such an arrangement. > > 1. Could someone tamper with the Windows OS or put in some additional > code that would not be found in an inspection of the application > program that could alter the results? > > 2. Could viruses and other malware affect the OS and, ultimately, an > election without its effects being detected by examining the > application program? > > Any other comments are welcome. > > Thanks, > Bill Edelstein > Baltimore, MD > if you look at the issue of electronic voting systems in this country and any other country - it is a major concern that these systems (regardless of OS) can NOT be trusted. it's too easy to pay off a programmer or dirty CEO to rig the voting application to a predetermined outcome. you can implement these if you like, but a paper ballot should still be required! You should NOT trust your government - power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely! Look at this current US regime in power - they are a bunch of fascist pigs and they are proud of it! http://www.physicsforums.com/archive/index.php/t-28495.html http://www.oldamericancentury.org/14pts.htm Please get some good history books and read what the founding fathers of this country stated. Most of them stated the same thing I just mentioned - you should NOT trust people with power. Oskar
Guest HeyBub Posted July 15, 2007 Posted July 15, 2007 Re: Linux vs. windows for voting systems? news wrote: > if you look at the issue of electronic voting systems in this country > and any other country - it is a major concern that these systems > (regardless of OS) can NOT be trusted. > > it's too easy to pay off a programmer or dirty CEO to rig the voting > application to a predetermined outcome. > > you can implement these if you like, but a paper ballot should still > be required! You should NOT trust your government - power corrupts, > absolute power corrupts absolutely! Look at this current US regime in > power - they are a bunch of fascist pigs and they are proud of it! > But, in spite of the current power elites being Fascist pigs, it was almost exclusively the other party that is traditionally caught/accused of voting "irregularities." It the votes for the current administration were artificially inflated, I think God did it. In many jurisdictions, paper ballots - the kind with all the offices on a single sheet - are physically impossible. In my county (Houston) we have eight justice precincts, eight constables, 12-odd state legislative and 9 state senate districts. We have five congressional districts, 5 county courts, 20 district courts, (plus sundry other courts like domestic relations, juvenile, probate, etc.) and about 20 cities and towns each with multiple mayors, councilmen, etc. We have water control districts, special tax districts, at least eight school districts, and more. The permutations are almost limitless. What we COULD do is have some kind of voting device that punched holes in a piece of cardboard... Hmm. Wow! I wonder if that's been patented? Poking holes in paper is beyond the abilities of most Democrats, so we'll stand a much better chance of establishing the dynasty. After that, nothing will stop the monarchy.
Guest Susan Bradley Posted July 15, 2007 Posted July 15, 2007 Re: Linux vs. windows for voting systems? Exactly what does this have to do with SBS? resonator80 wrote: > Computerized voting systems (aka DREs or Direct Recording Electronic) > must be based on an operating system, for example, Windows or Linux. > > Linux has the advantage of being open so that all the source code can > be open. Windows source code will not be opened to anyone. > > Some people have argued that the basic Windows operating system can > remain secret as long as the voting application program (i.e. C, > Python, etc) is open. > > Here are some questions about such an arrangement. > > 1. Could someone tamper with the Windows OS or put in some additional > code that would not be found in an inspection of the application > program that could alter the results? > > 2. Could viruses and other malware affect the OS and, ultimately, an > election without its effects being detected by examining the > application program? > > Any other comments are welcome. > > Thanks, > Bill Edelstein > Baltimore, MD >
Guest news Posted July 15, 2007 Posted July 15, 2007 Re: Linux vs. windows for voting systems? Susan Bradley wrote: > Exactly what does this have to do with SBS? > > resonator80 wrote: >> Computerized voting systems (aka DREs or Direct Recording Electronic) >> must be based on an operating system, for example, Windows or Linux. >> >> Linux has the advantage of being open so that all the source code can >> be open. Windows source code will not be opened to anyone. >> >> Some people have argued that the basic Windows operating system can >> remain secret as long as the voting application program (i.e. C, >> Python, etc) is open. >> >> Here are some questions about such an arrangement. >> >> 1. Could someone tamper with the Windows OS or put in some additional >> code that would not be found in an inspection of the application >> program that could alter the results? >> >> 2. Could viruses and other malware affect the OS and, ultimately, an >> election without its effects being detected by examining the >> application program? >> >> Any other comments are welcome. >> >> Thanks, >> Bill Edelstein >> Baltimore, MD >> his questions about which OS is better for a voting application. The answer is neither! It's all about who has access to the source code!
Guest Susan Bradley, CPA aka Ebitz - SBS Rocks [MVP] Posted July 16, 2007 Posted July 16, 2007 Re: Linux vs. windows for voting systems? And he posted to the SBS newsgroup... so again, what does this have to do with SBS? I can see his question.. but unless he's willing to post an ipconfig /all it has no relevance in this newsgroup. news wrote: > Susan Bradley wrote: >> Exactly what does this have to do with SBS? >> >> resonator80 wrote: >>> Computerized voting systems (aka DREs or Direct Recording Electronic) >>> must be based on an operating system, for example, Windows or Linux. >>> >>> Linux has the advantage of being open so that all the source code can >>> be open. Windows source code will not be opened to anyone. >>> >>> Some people have argued that the basic Windows operating system can >>> remain secret as long as the voting application program (i.e. C, >>> Python, etc) is open. >>> >>> Here are some questions about such an arrangement. >>> >>> 1. Could someone tamper with the Windows OS or put in some additional >>> code that would not be found in an inspection of the application >>> program that could alter the results? >>> >>> 2. Could viruses and other malware affect the OS and, ultimately, an >>> election without its effects being detected by examining the >>> application program? >>> >>> Any other comments are welcome. >>> >>> Thanks, >>> Bill Edelstein >>> Baltimore, MD >>> > > > his questions about which OS is better for a voting application. The > answer is neither! It's all about who has access to the source code! >
Guest Russ Grover \(SBITS.Biz\) Posted July 16, 2007 Posted July 16, 2007 Re: Linux vs. windows for voting systems? SBS2003 is not a good choice for a voting system... IMO -- Russell Grover SBITS.Biz Microsoft Certified Small Business Specialist. MCP, MCPS, MCNPS, (MCP-SBS) support @ SBITS.Biz Remote SBS2003 Support http://www.SBITS.Biz "news" <user@example.net> wrote in message news:uViq7TzxHHA.1776@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl... > Susan Bradley wrote: >> Exactly what does this have to do with SBS? >> >> resonator80 wrote: >>> Computerized voting systems (aka DREs or Direct Recording Electronic) >>> must be based on an operating system, for example, Windows or Linux. >>> >>> Linux has the advantage of being open so that all the source code can >>> be open. Windows source code will not be opened to anyone. >>> >>> Some people have argued that the basic Windows operating system can >>> remain secret as long as the voting application program (i.e. C, >>> Python, etc) is open. >>> >>> Here are some questions about such an arrangement. >>> >>> 1. Could someone tamper with the Windows OS or put in some additional >>> code that would not be found in an inspection of the application >>> program that could alter the results? >>> >>> 2. Could viruses and other malware affect the OS and, ultimately, an >>> election without its effects being detected by examining the >>> application program? >>> >>> Any other comments are welcome. >>> >>> Thanks, >>> Bill Edelstein >>> Baltimore, MD >>> > > > his questions about which OS is better for a voting application. The > answer is neither! It's all about who has access to the source code! >
Guest Joe Posted July 16, 2007 Posted July 16, 2007 Re: Linux vs. windows for voting systems? news wrote: > > his questions about which OS is better for a voting application. The > answer is neither! It's all about who has access to the source code! > And you need a compiler you can trust. And the source code to that compiler. And to the compiler that compiled that one....
Recommended Posts