Bad build for Open Source software

Orignally Posted 4/26/2006 at http://twit.tv/node/4078#comment-24483 --Plaz 17:30, 26 April 2006 (EDT)

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Wouldn't it not matter that Firefox is open source, and therefore is free of spyware, (because lots of people were looking at the code.) Couldn't (and were just saying, if it's possible) the Firefox guys take the public source code and then add spyware to that. They then make a "bad" build and post that on getfirefox.com. People would download that and become infected. So that means that it does not matter that the software is open source. Anyone can add something and create a bad build. However, can someone download all of the files individally from the CVS and compare that to the "bad" build. Would they then be able to tell that something has been added?

-Michael Plasmeier theplaz.com