Risks of open source
 

Correct me if i'm making mistakes in my thinking process.

I was thinking about the N900, and that i am not buying it yet, and that is probably the reason i started to gather negative points about the device to relativate, which led me to a thing that i actually found interesting to see others, maybe more experienced developers or programmers, with a better perspective, comment on.

Which is, what are the consequences of open source for a mobile computer connected to the internet and gsm network?

What if there was some evil developer to create a trojan, maybe covered by an application, that slowly uses your Data for spamming or what not.
Or even makes undercover calls? sends out your contacts or text messages to marketing 'baddies'.

edit: request: norton for maemo :D

Re: Risks of open source
 

Those risks are significantly lower by sheer virtue of the code being open source.

EDIT: maemo shouldn't need Norton. ;)

Re: Risks of open source
 

I would be more worried about an application I can't see the source code of.

Re: Risks of open source
 

The risks you describe are not in open source applications but in closed source ones. Should someone create open source malware, other people could spot the bad stuff in the source code. With closed source you don't know what is going on in there.

Re: Risks of open source
 

No more or less than connecting any other Linux-based platform to the internet. Security is a process, one that many vendors take seriously.

Being closed source provides zero protection, as we have seen time and time again.

You suggest this as a what-if for Maemo, when it is a "case in point" for Windows. Happens daily. The answer is that -you- should know who you are getting applications from and whether or not to trust your sources.

Most people download and install stuff like crazy and wonder why their systems are slow. They also don't install security patches and leave their systems perpetually connected directly to the internet, and suffer exploits. Users are the cause of, and solution to, all of their computing problems (since beer has little positive effect on printed circuit boards!)

Re: Risks of open source
 

the fact that it is open sauce will protect anyone to some degree -even criminals wanting a secure phone-the reaction to this situation could encourage spyware

Re: Risks of open source
 

As pointed out, if you install open source apps from the maemo.org extras repository, the risk of that happening is insignificantly small.

But of course it should go without saying that installing unverifiable apps from random websites is a bad idea.

Re: Risks of open source
 

It depends on where you get your software. Certainly malware can be written for Maemo and the source code may seem clean but may not match the compiled code. On the other hand, legitimate sites check these things.

Re: Risks of open source
 

2 words

community review

Re: Risks of open source
 

communist review vs community review