Abuse the source, Luke.

[iancom]

Just had to share, since it doesn't seem to have made it to these forums so far.

http://www.windowsbeta.net/comments.php?catid=1&id=493

I haven't seen any independent proof of this yet, but apparently the Windows NT/2000 source code is now making its way around the Internet.

If the reports are true, and taking into account MS' security strategy of simply hoping no-one will notice the gaping holes in Windows because they can't get to the source, you can be damned sure that the next couple of months are going to be absolute hell for anyone who runs an MS system on the Internet.

Mass migration to Linux/BSD, anyone?

We can but dream.

[WMD]

www.neowin.net

They "broke the story" apparently.

Anyways.. \o/ !!!!!!!!!  

[iancom]

Yeah, I posted the windowsbeta link because the neowin site has been Slashdotted Up Beyond All Repair(TM).

Code: [Select]

Of course, it was Slashdot where I originally read about it, not being one for hanging around sleazy Windows sites...

[Laukev7]

The source code seems to contain very interesting artifacts...

http://slashdot.org/articles/04/02/12/2114228.shtml?tid=109&tid=187

 

quote:  

10328 07-26-00 01:41 win2k/private/genx/shell/gnumakefile
 0 11-18-01 14:23 win2k/private/genx/windows/inc/mobileq-apache.eml
 0 11-18-01 14:23 win2k/private/genx/letter to children - 2.eml (*)
 0 11-18-01 14:23 win2k/private/inet/mshtml/btools/bin/words of wisdom from dennis.eml
 0 11-18-01 14:23 win2k/private/inet/mshtml/build/ppcmac/ship/unix.e ml
 0 11-18-01 14:23 win2k/private/inet/mshtml/build/ppcmac/documentati on of problems in stress.eml
 506 07-26-00 02:12 win2k/private/inet/mshtml/gnumakefile
 64276 07-26-00 02:13 win2k/private/inet/mshtml/tools/mips/utils/sed.exe
 
 Plenty of gnumakefile entries throughout...
 
 Also - directories for ppc / ppcmac / alpha / mips
 
 Could this be OFFICE 2000 instead of Windows 2000?
 
 * - WTF?
 

[mobrien_12]

I'm skeptical.

[Laukev7]

So was I, but Microsoft confirmed the leak:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37648-2004Feb12.html

[mobrien_12]

Thanks for the link Laukev7.

Well it looks like it is an incomplete set of source.

For goodness sakes, don't look at it (remember the scence from Raiders of the Lost Ark where the Nazis looked at the Ark's contents?).

[cahult]

quote:Originally posted by M. O'Brien:
Thanks for the link Laukev7.

Well it looks like it is an incomplete set of source.

For goodness sakes, don't look at it (remember the scence from Raiders of the Lost Ark where the Nazis looked at the Ark's contents?).

Or else Bill Gates will become Mola Ram and rip your heart out and laugh while it is burning

[TB]

Such a shame that it's only a partial leak......I believe zdnet Australia was told that the entire Win 2k source is supposed to be about 40GB. Does this figure seem even remotely accurate????

But it can't be denied - this WILL damage M$ rather badly.

[HPC GUY]

this has been a long time and coming, i mean hell, if half life 2 code could get stolen, why not windows.

[restin256]

Is this a good thing? Eventually people might illigally modify the source code, or interpret it and rewrite it, and people would be using secure windows (I know, an oxymoron) on their desktop. Somehow the source could be modified against anybody detecting it, or it would possibly register as a Linux or BSD box.

If people looked over the source and rewrote it in C or something that had perfect memory handling, and then copywrighted their code under GNU, we could probably say goodbye to Microsoft on the desktop. The thing it it's illigal but if nobody could prove that they looked at Windows as the source they could never be punished.

[mobrien_12]

quote:Originally posted by restin256:
Is this a good thing? Eventually people might illigally modify the source code, or interpret it and rewrite it, and people would be using secure windows (I know, an oxymoron) on their desktop. Somehow the source could be modified against anybody detecting it, or it would possibly register as a Linux or BSD box.

If people looked over the source and rewrote it in C or something that had perfect memory handling, and then copywrighted their code under GNU, we could probably say goodbye to Microsoft on the desktop. The thing it it's illigal but if nobody could prove that they looked at Windows as the source they could never be punished.

We don't need MS code.  We already have open source stuff that is better than MS stuff (numerous BSD, Linux, darwin, etc).  The only thing useful we could get out of MS code would be better compatibility with closed formats (NTFS, undocumented Win32 APIs) but people on those projects wouldn't want to look at MS code for fear of tainting their work and having it SCOd.

[restin256]

quote:Originally posted by M. O'Brien:
The only thing useful we could get out of MS code would be better compatibility with closed formats (NTFS, undocumented Win32 APIs) but people on those projects wouldn't want to look at MS code for fear of tainting their work and having it SCOd.

People wouldn't actually use the source code in an Open Source windows imitation like ReactOS, they would just remake it. Compatability is a good thing, and for the people who prefer C:\ and D:\ (not me) it'd be easier for newbies to switch to the open-source movement.

[Claris]

Apparently the portion of the source code stolen was about 600-650 mb, which conveniently fits on a CD. It was stolen by an employee of MainSoft, a microsoft partner trusted with the code for a project they were working on.

[mc0282]

let's see here the source contain most of windows kernel, shit load of  crap notepad,media player,sol,etc... so much source code to view at once.. no i am not saying have this source code or do i ? who knows