Re: OT: Re: DARPA Cancels OS Project After Comments

From: Doc.Cypher (Use-Author-Supplied-Address-Header@[127.1)
Date: 04/20/03 

Date: 20 Apr 2003 15:36:09 -0000
From: Doc.Cypher <Use-Author-Supplied-Address-Header@[127.1]>

On 20 Apr 2003, bill@gw5.cs.uofs.edu (Bill Gunshannon) wrote:
>In article <3EA28773.5050700@vajhoej.dk>,
> Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> writes:
>> Bill Gunshannon wrote:
>> > It has little if anything to do with democracy or freedom of speech.
>> > It has everything to do with discretion and stupidity.
>> >
>> > Ever hear the proverb; "Don't bite the hand that feeds you."?
>>
>> It has very much to do with democracy.
>>
>> If people are not allowed to say what they think about the
>> war in Iraq without loosing their jobs, then it starts to
>> sound much like the old eastern europe during the cold war.

A little extreme perhaps, but I'd like to see evidence that this was not how
the situation came about. Isn't information on how these decisions are taken
publically available?

> <snip> ... The only thing that is going to
>change is who gets the grant money for the work.

The Register is rather scathing about what might be done with the money.

<URL:http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/30333.html>

>> Lots of critical intellectual had very difficult
>> getting a job, because they stated their opinion
>> about the communist government.
>
>But, we're not talking about a job with a the party with the money. We
>are talking about a favor that was repiad with insults. One is free to
>hold and express any opinion they wish. But it is unreasonable to expect
>that if you insult someone who is doing you a favor that they will continue
>to do you favors.

Here's the original UPenn announcement of the funding award,

<URL:http://www.seas.upenn.edu/whatsnew/computer-security.html>

This wasn't just for OpenBSD.

>> In a free society you are allowed to speak your
>> political views without consequences (within
>> certain limitatations given by the law of course).

>That's not actually true. Everything we do has consequences. And one
>must be prepared to accept them if they choose to take actions that are
>likely to be unfavorably received.

Should your political views about certain aspects of government policy
give the government the right to act in a discriminatory manner towards you?

I thought that there were laws against that. Particularly as it is UPenn who
are being penalised for statements made by a third party outside the United
States.

<snip>

Anyway, the original Globe & Mail article can be found at,

<URL:http://www.globetechnology.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20030406.whack46/GTStory>

Looks like Theo has a big mouth and a predeliction for seeing how many feet he
can fit in it. It isn't easy to be sympathetic towards him when he doesn't seem
to see any distinction between DARPA and the current administration.

ZDNet mentions the security improvements that the funding helped create at,

<URL:http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1105-996584.html>

And the quote from /. that made me chuckle...

"Theo's legendary lack of tact and people-skills has sunk him... again. He
 can fork NetBSD and come out on top, he can fork OpenSSH and win the
 trademark dispute, he can fork IPfilter after alienating Darren Reed... I
 don't think he can fork the US Government. (Tho it would be a lot more
 stable and secure if he did... )"

I suppose if the grant objectives have been met, then there is no reason to
question cancellation of the funding. OTOH, you'd expect that UPenn would be
able to propose further improvements before funding was pulled.

Funny though... all those improvements listed on ZDNet sound rather familiar.

John, want to make an OS security checklist with feature availability dates?
That would make a nice advert. (PS still received no mail).

Doc. 

-- 
Time and money, the psychotropics of the business world...
~ VAXman                                             https://vmsbox.cjb.net

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