From: Tony Williams 

Antti Kurenniemi wrote:
> "Tony Williams"  wrote in message
> news:3DE69ED6.1020209{at}blarg.net...
>
>>Disagree. There are enough tools out there (e.g. nm, which is available
>>on Windows) to find out which functions a binary is using that the
>>difference between closed and open is negligible from a hacker's POV.
>>
>>The difference is that the vendor of a closed source program is the only
>>one who can (legally) provide a fixed version, whereas if the app is
>>open-source it can be fixed by anybody.
>
>
> I have to ask, would you like an important part of your system to be fixed
> "by anybody"? I don't see that as an absolute positive thing...

That's where the open source peer-review comes into play. If I publish a
fix for a security exploit you can safely bet that it's going to be widely
scrutinised. As opposed to a closed source fix where you're back to having
only the vendor's word to rely on.

--
Tony

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