Privacy

[John Altstadt]

Bill Wisse wrote:

>We are not asking for a security tool only for a security option.
>I strongly believe that financial programs ( personal or business) should have 
>an option ( for the user to decide) of a password.
>In fact if you have a look at other ( decent) financial programs I doubt it if 
>there is any without a password option.
>
>BTW why are so many people against this option? Just give it as an option, 
>what's wrong with that?
>  
>
Because then every program on the system should also get that option:

- I write documents that have proprietary IP in them, therefore my word
processor needs a password
- I create spreadsheets that have important business projections in
them, therefore my spreadsheet program needs a password
- I have important bookmarks/favorites in my browser, therefore it needs
a password
- I have audio instructions from top secret government agencies in my
MP3 player, therefore it needs a password
- I write source code that has proprietary IP in it, therefore my text
editor and C compiler both need passwords
- ...

As others have pointed out, if this level of security is really a
requirement, then shell script wrappers or encrypted filesystems are the
only ways to go.

John