Re: Can a machine test itself? + other issues

["Vincent J. Lipsio" <vince>]

> please re-read my comments.

My apologies if I insulted you or if I failed to realize that you 
thought embedded systems a possibility; re-reading your comments, 
I still perceive that you reckon them as economic 
impossibilities, at best.

> ... economics of voting systems is such that most voting
> systems are based on either Windows or Linux and not custom
> embedded systems for the reason that vendors have wished to
> save money...

Many other industries are bound by such restraints, yet those 
industries thrive.  And, we are not talking about a small 
fortune, just more money; but, even if we were talking about a 
huge sum, I would still have to ask, what is the price of 
democracy?

Some months ago there was a discussion on the security TG's 
reflector that I started by stating "Therefore, methinks we 
should either inject some verbiage concerning affordability into 
our purpose or we should decide that that is not a criterion.";  
full email with URL below.

Vince


http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/scc38/1583/emailtg1/msg00242.html

-------   Commence Forwarded Message   -------


    * To: "Security Task Group, P-1583" <stds-1583-TG1@IEEE.ORG>
    * Subject: Question about the purpose of this project
    * From: "Vincent J. Lipsio" <Vince@LIPSIO.COM>
    * Date: Mon, 2 Aug 2004 12:19:30 -0400 (EDT)
    * Organization: Lipsio Enterprises, a Corporation
    * Reply-To: stds-1583-TG1@IEEE.ORG
    * Sender: owner-stds-1583-tg1@listserv.ieee.org

The purpose of this project is to develop an evaluation standard 
for election voting equipment. The standard will provide 
technical specifications for electronic, mechanical, and human 
factors that can be used by manufacturers of voting machines or 
by those purchasing such machines. The tests and criteria 
developed will assure equipment:
· Accessibility
· Accuracy
· Confidentiality
· Reliability
· Security
· Usability

The above is a quote from:
http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/scc38/1583/

We just concluded a conference call in which Vern loudly and 
vehemently asserted that price takes priority over several of 
these criteria.

Therefore, methinks we should either inject some verbiage 
concerning affordability into our purpose or we should decide 
that that is not a criterion.

Comments?

Vince Lipsio

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