--Steve Ballmer, Microsoft CEO

--Peter Gutmann

What good is "open source" that needs a back-doored, proprietary software (i.e. back doors cannot be removed) operating system with spying and DRM just to run it? We recently wrote about this kind of situation, offering examples from both Apple and Microsoft.

"And they say "soon open source" without specifying a licence or anything."Here comes another new example from GHacks (lots of those lately; mostly from this site). "Sandboxie, a sandbox program for Microsoft's Windows operating system, has been turned into a free application." Freeware. And they say "soon open source" without specifying a licence or anything. Might as well turn out to be vapourware at the end...

Tabloid troll Catalin Cimpanu is already openwashing this proprietary software based on a promise from Sophos alone. Let's rejoice "open source" that runs only on Windows. CBS and its tabloid ZDNet are once again proving to be Microsoft propaganda and this article comes from the person who constantly slanders Linux. Help Net Security said: "Sophos plans to open-source Sandboxie, a Windows utility that allows users to run apps in a sandbox. Until that happens, they've made the utility free."

"When "open source" runs only on a proprietary platform with NSA back doors what is it really worth?"BetaNews -- just like the above -- put "open source" in the headline even though it's only freeware. Great! And even though it's Windows only; just like Steve Ballmer wanted...

When "open source" runs only on a proprietary platform with NSA back doors what is it really worth? Is it good for anything? Also, it's not security; just illusion of it...

They claim that these applications improve security, but these applications only run on a platform with NSA back doors. Here's another new example, this one of an "app" that only runs on iOS. "If you're looking for an alternative for Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, LastPass Authenticator, or Authy, you may want to give Authenticator a chance," it says. How does that improve security? The underlying operating system has well known back doors. The company that monopolised maintainer-ship works with the NSA and is in the PRISM spy programme. Ed Snowden's leaks provided actual evidence and 2 years ago Wikileaks added more with Vault 7.

"Notice that all the above are security-oriented programs but not a single platform without NSA back doors is supported."A similar example was covered 3 days ago by GHacks: "WinOTP Authenticator is an open-source alternative for WinAuth"

The "Win" means Windows; it means you lose security. You lose privacy. When "open source" runs only under proprietary software stacks with NSA back doors, such as Vista 10 (strictly in this case), a vendor can only pretend it offers security...

One of the virtues extolled by Free software proponents is superior security; well, how much do such claims hold when one must rent (license, temporarily) a bunch of dodgy binaries from NSA partners to run the said program/s? Notice that all the above are security-oriented programs but not a single platform without NSA back doors is supported. ⬆