Are You Sure This Is the Source Code?

oever writes "Software freedom is an interesting concept, but being able to study the source code is useless unless you are certain that the binary you are running corresponds to the alleged source code. It should be possible to recreate the exact binary from the source code. A simple analysis shows that this is very hard in practice, severely limiting the whole point of running free software."

Problems with verifying the binaries from source

[tooslickvan]

I have recompiled all my software from the source code and verified that the binaries match but for some reason there's a Ken Thompson user that is always logged in. How did Ken Thompson get into my system and how do I get rid of him?

Re:What a problem

[h4rr4r]

Hey now, you have to be pretty IT savvy to type ./configure, make and make install all in the same day. Some of us make good money doing that, don't just go suggesting everyone should be doing it.

Re:Diverse Double-Compiling by David A. Wheeler

[bunratty]

But nuking it from orbit is the only way to be sure.

Re:Bogus argument

[briancox2]

This looks like the shortest, most consise piece of FUD I've ever seen.

I wonder if next week I could get a story published that say, "I don't know if Microsoft is spying on you through your webcam. So it could be true."

Re:Bogus argument

[NoNonAlphaCharsHere]

To borrow from the Tao Te Ching: "The Source that can be told is not the Source."

Re:Bogus argument

[Anonymous Coward]

Yes, but how can you be SURE that's the original source?