On 03/15/2013 10:08 PM, Michael Butash wrote:
> 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.
>
> 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.
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.
From
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/03/22/china_makes_linux_os_with_canonical_help/
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.
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 TOM Online
and Microsoft
<
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-03-08/skypes-been-hijacked-in-china-and-microsoft-is-o-dot-k-dot-with-it>.
--
"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
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