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May
11
The European Commission is proposing that software makers give guarantees about the security and efficiency of their code
Software companies could be held responsible for the security and efficacy of their products, if a new European Commission consumer protection proposal becomes law.
[BSA director of public policy Francisco Mingorance] said the performance of a piece of software depends on the environment it operates in, how the code is updated, whether it is possible to adapt and modify the software, and whether the code is attacked.
According to Mingorance, the proposed regulatory extension would cover all software, including beta products, and would cover both proprietary and open-source software.
Right now, under the current EU Sales and Guarantees Directive, physical products are expected to carry a guarantee of two years. Extending those terms to software would have the effect of limiting customer choice, as contract terms would have to be extended to a minimum of two years, Mingorance added.
Software companies have long argued against accepting responsibility for the security and efficiency of their code. Linux kernel developer Alan Cox in 2007 told a House of Lords Committee that neither proprietary nor open-source developers should be held accountable for their code.
Source
Software companies could be held responsible for the security and efficacy of their products, if a new European Commission consumer protection proposal becomes law.
[BSA director of public policy Francisco Mingorance] said the performance of a piece of software depends on the environment it operates in, how the code is updated, whether it is possible to adapt and modify the software, and whether the code is attacked.
According to Mingorance, the proposed regulatory extension would cover all software, including beta products, and would cover both proprietary and open-source software.
Right now, under the current EU Sales and Guarantees Directive, physical products are expected to carry a guarantee of two years. Extending those terms to software would have the effect of limiting customer choice, as contract terms would have to be extended to a minimum of two years, Mingorance added.
Software companies have long argued against accepting responsibility for the security and efficiency of their code. Linux kernel developer Alan Cox in 2007 told a House of Lords Committee that neither proprietary nor open-source developers should be held accountable for their code.
Source
