Programmer Testifies

[OneST8]

http://www.guerrillanews.com/headlines/10754/Programmer_Finally_Testifies_U_S_Elections_Rigged


Please note that if this thread goes crazy it will get locked. I don't normally post political stuff but I think this is pretty darn interesting.

[Ar7]

Not much can be done about this now, only after the rebublicans are out of the white house. One thing is positive though, it can not get any worse than president Bush. As such 2008 is promising to be a bright year in the USA. I hope I don't insult anybody's feelings, but as hard as I search I can not see what good did he do during his "reign"

[Niles09]

Hmmm might also just be a guy who wanted his 15 minuttes of fame.

[Xandor Loriland]

This is one of those topics that is prohibitted for a reason.  Ar7, I don't really think its fair to make those kind of sweeping political statements in a restricted forum where others with differing opinions can't respond without getting a thread locked and things getting out of hand.  We should probably just lock this now since the policy is no politcial discussion in these forums and there is a good reason for that policy.

[Weeblie]

Hm...

Interesting...

Hehe... Seems that the methods to cheat has "digitalized" too.

[Nibor21]

I don't know about someone going to jail, but someone should definately get sacked!

Leaving the political element aside (Long live the tribes of Krashin, death to everyone else) the real question is how could anyone purchase electronic voting software with out employing an indepentant test company who have both access to the source code and are permitted a full range of independant tests.

I have over the years worked on projects that are both commercially sensitive and militarily sensitive. Even here though we always had a third party checking our code for any little 'easter eggs' we had accidentily dropped into the systems (I still have a memo from the head of the test nazis (as we called them) asking me to remove the comments in the form of rude limericks that 'fell' into the code on the afternoon after our christmas lunch.....)

So the real issue is how could anyone allow something as serious as a voting system not to be properly analyzed and tested. I can only assume the contact was awarded to the company who put in the lowest bid? - Republican Automated Voting Systems, chairman Mr. R. Nixon?   :p

[Ne'er]

Frankly, I don't see this thread going very well, but I will leave it open for now. I don't think we need to be taking shots at any political party here, as we are all entitled to our own opinion and we do not need to be expressing them in our little game world. If we -really- want to discuss politics, then there are political forums elsewhere on the internet.

That said, the thread is under close watch. Please don't make the team have to lock it.

[lonnarin]

Besides, taking shots to either of the heads of the monolithic hydra only play into their gameplan.  Given the choice between death by tickle torture or death by bunnies, personally I'd choose life.  When you see elections between fellow Skull & Bonesmen, and bitter rivals both agreeing to keep 3rd parties out of public view, one must expect the election to be rigged far prior to the ballot.  Ultimatedly the government is left entireley unaccountable for its own actions, for what juristiction has a left hand upon a right hand, or visa versa?  They both wash eachother in the end.

I wish ballots were blank sheets of paper whereupon one would be required to scribe the name of their candidate, rather than these silly debates over hanging chads, dimples and electronic smokescreens.  If somebody can't properly write down the name of their candidate, then they likely don't need to be voting anyhow.  The concept of voting dualism, extremist right vs wrong, black & white "choices" is exactly what leaves a foul taste in my mouth over homeland politik.  Supporters get so hung up over defending a "side" that they fail to notice both parties walking the very same line.  Political parties are by their very nature designed for a final endgame of one party in control of everything.  (or in our case, 2 squabbling siblings agreeing to disagree for the stage)  It would far better serve the public for political debates to be simply between 2 citizens rather than a republican or a democrat, (or any other such similar operational definitions of dichotomy) but I digress.  Politics is far too profitable for the 2-party monoploy to cede any ground willingly.

Which is exactly why we must hold individuals responsible for every scandal which occurs, and ignore the blame game and side-taking of political extremists.  I urge the powers that be not to lock this thread down until PERSONAL attacks are made upon eachother or the candidates.  On the issues themselves, there must be free and public discourse, or we will be doomed to assist the problem.  To state "this is not the place for that" and to point to other locales as "free-speech zones" only serves to establish the precident that free speach must be zoned, liscenced and taxed...

Let's punish the individual in all accounts, not the population.  If somebody takes a personal attack, deal with the attack.  Gag-ordering EVERYONE is about as effective as amputating a limb over a hangnail.

And on that note, folks.  Be nice.  Roleplaying begins with the realization that other people do not think/act/breathe/sing like you do.  I expect the utmost respect and tolerance from each of you.

[darkstorme]

The whole thing sounds remarkably shady to me - though, as the programmer (who is, from his comments, likely a Republican himself) said, it's possible the reason he was hired to prototype such a program was so the hiring company could make sure that such a thing wasn't done.  The results of the election suggest that this benign motive may, in fact, not be the case... but the real reason I posted was to applaud the insertion of dirty limericks as comments in the source code.

I'm told that there's some really fun stuff in the Windows source code, too.  *chuckles*

[Stephen_Zuckerman]

darkstorme - 9/3/2006  12:02 AM

I'm told that there's some really fun stuff in the Windows source code, too.  *chuckles*

As Stephen searches for a program that will display the source code for his OS...

Anyhow, I have to admit that the political scene has long since bored me. "Prices will rise, politicians will philander, and you too, will grow old. And when you do, you will fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble, and children respected thier elders..."

No matter who we Americans pick to lead our misguided country, it'll always be some fancy-pants politician who's spent millions of dollars on advertising to try getting into office. Never will it be the best man for the job. Never will it be someone who will lead with honesty and frankness. Never will it be anything other than the best politician the 'States have to offer.

Now we just get more exciting ways to pick someone who's less a leader than the High Brass captain of the local marching band.

I'm surprised it's taken this long to get someone to crack the ballot programs.

[Nibor21]

I suspect that if you search the web hard enough you will find that this source was written to specifically ensure that conspiracy theorists have something to talk about.