Can our software be open source.

Security is the big issue

it MUST BE open source and as such is openly verifiable. Security through obsfucation (which is why it would be better to be private and not open source) is no security at all. There can be no trust in the software or systems built upon it if isn't open source.
Simple. No brainer. No choice if credibility is paramount.

Proprietary software is just that. Verification of proprietary software is problematic and difficult if not impossible due to in-confidence commercial interests. Open Source is verifiable, more robust, provably secure and errors are fidentified and fixed in a timely manner. Let's not forget that propietary software will cost big $$ and there is no guarantee that it will do as promised. Furthermore propietary software wlll be run on a central server providing a single point of failure as well as an easy target for hacking and DDOS attacks. P2P blockchain technology overcomes all the problems of a closed system running a central server. Open source is the ONLY model that offers the security and trust required to have confidence in any verifiable voting system..As a computer scientist, I cannot, in all honesty, support anything other than open source P2P technology.

The University of Wollongong is Australia's main centre for cryptology and I am sure that any system, if necessary, can be reviewed independently through this university. Having said that, as a cryptologist I think Blockchain technology is the way to go as it is provably secure, is based on P2P technology thus no central point for corruption, attacks and failure. It is robust, been around since 2009, built on strong PK cryptography and has proven itself to be secure and incorruptable to enemies with unlimited computer power and resources. Furthermore, voting systems have and are already being implemented on the back of this technology. Why reinvent the wheel or go with less secure and more easily corrupted commecial systems?

can i post this about how loomio used crowdfunding to fund their second wave of software (Joum found this for me) - i think the video and the amount they raised is really exciting... and they started only 18 months ago with a group of 6 volunteers in new zealand...

https://love.loomio.org/real-democracy-needs-to-include-everyone

if this post is off topic - let me know and i will delete it - its already posted in our Fundraising group - but i think only members of that group can view the post...

Hate it when someone comes out with "Having said that" means there not human

http://truevote.com.au/

maybe we could just use these guys for the time being - use it and test it - start all our thousands of members voting on parliamentary bills...?

I have to agree with William that it has to be open source and should use blockchain.

crowd-funding is definitely worth thinking about and maybe supporting the loomio developers is an option too

Potential loomio people.

http://blog.loomio.org/2014/08/10/james/

http://blog.evolutesystems.org/2014/08/team-for-hire.html?utm_content=bufferfdc06&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer