Comment on The IRS Tax Filing Software TurboTax Is Trying to Kill Just Got Open Sourced
turmacar@lemmy.world 3 days agoA lot of functionality can be decoupled from anything that needs to be classified. A HUD is a HUD and no one should be hard coding in performance characteristics of the F-35 into it for example. I’ve also worked on government projects and holy crap does the code quality vary wildly, even before you get into “it’s still working so deal with the problems, it doesn’t have the budget for updates”.
Using ‘off the shelf’ parts/code can save significant time and money. There’s a reason subs use xbox controllers. Government websites and data interfaces at the very least should have the audit-ability that open source provides.
Lv_InSaNe_vL@lemmy.world 3 days ago
sure but the HUD from the F-35 is very specifically designed to work in an F-35. It’s very similar, and comes from the same family, as the software running on other planes. But it’s not identical.
And yes, performance limits would be hard coded into the software because the HUD needs to alert the pilot when they are getting close.
turmacar@lemmy.world 2 days ago
That’s what config files are for. It would be a nightmare to hardcode weight and balance and have to recompile the HUD every time you change the loadout or refuel the plane.
Most code, algorithms, etc are not any more sensitive than the concept of desks and file cabinets. No, guidance programs for missiles probably shouldn’t be put on GitHub, but there’s a reason RSA and other encryption algorithms were open sourced. It’s better to have more eyes looking for inefficiencies, weaknesses, and vulnerabilities than to just assume it’s good because no-one on the team responsible is smart/engaged enough to find them.
Lv_InSaNe_vL@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Lmfao I can tell you’ve never worked in embedded systems before. They don’t really have config files. They don’t have the space.
froh42@lemmy.world 3 days ago
For the F35 unfortunately a lot of its capabilities seems to be cloud based. (At least for maintenence, I don’t know of on the air).
That’s why I’m angry my stupid government still has wants to buy the stupid things instead of sitting this generation out and going to an own 6gen aircraft.
Lv_InSaNe_vL@lemmy.world 2 days ago
Aren’t all planes cloud based though?
froh42@lemmy.world 2 days ago
Yes, I agree, so as Vlad learned even if you leave them on the ground and put tires on them so they don’t fly off, something might come along and successfully migrate around 40 of them to the cloud.
ricecake@sh.itjust.works 3 days ago
If it’s developed for the government, even by a private contractor, it’s still considered US government code and is public domain. It’s why sqlite is public domain.
I personally doubt there’s much available in the off-the-shelf fighter HUD system market, personally.