On Saturday 11 Feb 2006 00:55, Vivek J. Patankar wrote: > On 2/11/06, Tony Dietrich <td@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > It all depends on what the encryption system ends up as I suspect. And > > unfortunately, it may well also depend on the mind-set of the intended > > end-users. > > In that case you will have to pitch the idea to them in such a way > that they understand the benefits of the project being open source > over being closed & proprietary. The group will have to tell the > lawyers that the fact that a piece of code is open source means that > by constant audit of several developers it remains high quality and > not that it will be exploited more often (If security is their primary > concern). But I'm sure your already know that. > > > Those of us on this list are aware that OpenSource software is as secure, > > and often better tested, than commercial, restricted software, BUT > > educating the end-users in the UK Legal Sector of that fact may well be > > beyond the capabilities of this group. > > Educating the end user is something that has to be done by the group > presenting the proposal. As I said in my previous statement, it's all > about how you present it to them. IMO, an organisation looks at the > usability of the system from their point of view. If they like it, > they'll take it. All you have to do is to tell them in soft terms that > the contributions to the project have to come from the open source > community if the service has to be free of charge or low cost. > > > So if this service is to gain the acceptance of the intended end-users, > > and perhaps more importantly, get the backing of those members of the > > Judiciary who would end up needing to use it, then we may be forced to > > take the project to a more restricted framework. > > I don't agree with that. > > > This is far from my preference, and is not actually my idea, but knowing > > how stubborn and stuck-in-the-mud some members of this profession are, I > > can see where that argument is coming from :-( > > -- > Regards > Vivek > > Registered Linux User #374218 > Livin' The iLife ~ http://www.ilifenet.net Vivek I appreciatate your comments ... but the points you are putting forward are the ones I've spent the last few weeks trying to hammer home to a group of well-educated, stubborn, conservative lawyers. Do I really have to say anything other than 'lawyers'? <grin> As a group this lot have their hearts in the right place, and are worth helping. Shame about their egos. Tony
