Re: VoteHere first to release source code

[Neal McBurnett <neal@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

This looks like a nice step.

But note that this is not voting software that is being disclosed.
It is a "verification" system which they want to sell to vendors
of voting systems, sort of like Chaum's VReceipt proposal:
  http://www.votehere.net/vhti.html

And note that it is "patent-pending", so compatible and free
implementations are unlikely.

And I note, with dismay, this clause which says that the code is only
available for 60 days, and people who are examining it must delete all
copies after that.  People who would be willing to invest the
substantial time necessary to do a good analysis of the code would
certainly be deterred by that, in my estimation.

 5. This Agreement shall commence upon Licensee's acceptance of this
 Agreement and continue for a period of sixty (60) days, at which time
 this Agreement and the license granted herein shall automatically
 terminate.  This Agreement shall immediately, without notice,
 terminate upon Licensee?s breach of this Agreement.  VoteHere may
 terminate this Agreement at any time, for any reason or no reason, by
 posting a notice to that effect on its web site (www.votehere.com).
 VoteHere may immediately remove the Software from the website and/or
 block any access to the Software upon termination of this Agreement.
 Upon termination, Licensee shall have no right to, and agrees not to,
 use the Software and Documentation for any purpose whatsoever, and
 Licensee shall destroy all copies of the Software and Documentation
 in its possession or control.  Any terms of this Agreement that
 extend or by their nature should extend beyond termination or
 expiration of this Agreement will survive and continue in effect
 after any termination or expiration of this Agreement; provided,
 however, that the license rights granted in Section 2 will not
 survive any such expiration or termination.

Neal McBurnett                 http://bcn.boulder.co.us/~neal/
Signed and/or sealed mail encouraged.  GPG/PGP Keyid: 2C9EBA60

On Fri, Apr 16, 2004 at 11:13:49AM -0600, Evan Daniel Ravitz wrote:
> VoteHere Releases VHTi Reference Source Code Implementation
> Voting company is first to release source code for public scrutiny
> 
> http://www.votehere.net/news/archive04/040604.htm
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------
> Evan Ravitz         303 440 6838         evan@xxxxxxxx