Linux and Open Source

I have been working (at least trying) on Linux for some time now. On and Off. But it never stops to fascinate me. It has matured a lot from the time I first used Red hat linux when it was version 6.0. It has grown remarkably. But still Linux still feels scratchy to use, a bit rough at the edges if you compare with Windows.

Incidently I have been using MS products right from when it was in DOS stages. I think the first one I used was BOS 3.1 or something. And right now I am at Windows XP and the experience is really smooth. Frankly I am no fan of Windows and MS products. But we all have to admit it. Bill Gates and Microsoft has turned the world around as no one yet has managed to do so and I still earn my livelihood on Windows.

But open source and the movement behind it is what is required right now. When I started computing, I did not even know about networking and it was the case with most of them. All the users of computers were supposed to be benign and come from a good background. All crime was left to the thugs and rogues in the dark alleys. But times have changed and changed a lot.

Crime has moved big time from the dark alleys to the data center and we have to tackle it as good netizens and citizens. And I feel that open source is the way to go. With all its shortcomings, the basic principle of community fighting against crime is the idea that appeals to me. As an analogy, our society cannot be crime free if only one agency (the police department) fights crime. We as society members an community have to report and work towards rectifying crime and criminals. And that is the very reason why there is a lot of crime still in the community. Similarly, only one or two organizations cannot fight cyber crime. It will take the effort of entire community to reduce it if not eradicate it.

Cyber crime and terrorism is not yet organized, but it soon will be and we will be left with nothing to fight against it if we don't organize ourselves. Let's move to opensource and fix the bugs and backdoors together so that cyber criminals don't stand a chance against us!!!