[pp.int.general] GNU/Linux-powered voting machines in Brazil

[Valentin Villenave]

2008/10/3 Richard M. Stallman <rms at gnu.org>:
> If voting machines use software, it should be free software.
> But just having free software in voting machines does not make
> it possible to trust them.  We need to be concerned that the
> manufacturers, or the election authorities, will fiddle with them
> to steal the election.

Hi rms,
while I agree with your first sentence above, I am glad you added the
last two sentences.  The use of Free soft- (and hard-) ware is a
necessary condition, but computer-voting may be, per se, a potentially
harmful procedure, and Free software does not magically make these
dangers disappear.

> It appears that Bush stole the 2004 election in Ohio that way.

Well, not with Free-software-powered machines in this particular case...
What about the upcoming elections? I guess voting machines will be
used again, probably even more today than in 2000 and 2004; is there
any way of democratic control?

Cheers,
Valentin