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On 03/15/2013 10:08 PM, Michael Butash wrote:<br>
<blockquote cite="mid:5143FE56.3040105@butash.net" type="cite">I
won't use skype for the same reason. I'd held off for x years
they've existed, and was going to make one finally as a client
used it for official and non im, but soon as microsoft bought
them, I wrote them off.
<br>
<br>
Microsoft will not say no if the government tells them to
(antitrust, anyone?). Blackberry did this in india actually
making the news forced to give up access to a foreign government,
but no news here as they already do. They'll have your cell or
wired isp give up raw bitstreams of your traffic with or without a
subpoena if they're that interested.
<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
I was reminded of this when I read an article today in The Register
about Canonical working with the Chinese government to produce a
version of ubuntu customized for China.<br>
From
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/03/22/china_makes_linux_os_with_canonical_help/">http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/03/22/china_makes_linux_os_with_canonical_help/</a><br>
<br>
Because the software is open source it's unlikely that any backdoors
could be added into the Ubuntu OS without the global Linux community
taking notice.
<p>This contrasts with Skype, which is available in a
Chinese-flavour that spies on its users and logs information about
them talking or making phone calls about sensitive subjects to the
repressive state. The software is delivered as a partnership
between local company <a
href="http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-03-08/skypes-been-hijacked-in-china-and-microsoft-is-o-dot-k-dot-with-it">TOM
Online and Microsoft</a>.</p>
<br>
<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
"I get my copy of the daily paper, look at the obituaries page, and if I’m not there, I carry on as usual."
Patrick Moore</pre>
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