On November 6, 2009, in Germany, KDE founder Matthias Ettrich received the decoration German Federal Cross of Merit for his contributions to free software. KDE is one of the earliest graphical desktop user environments (GUI) for Linux and other open source operating systems, and is one of the most powerful and popular GUIs. In Germany, they give highest honors to people who open source their computer programs.
In contrast, in the Philippines, COMELEC will pay computer packaging and marketing firm Smartmatic the amount of PHP7.2-PHP11.4 billion for supplying election hardware and software with source code that no Filipino programmer will ever see, and that Smartmatic and COMELEC consistently refuse to submit to source code review as required by law. In the Philippines we reward companies who break the law.
That is one difference between Germany and the Philippines.
In the Philippines we not only reward, but idolize those who break the law! After all, why serve the people when you can embezzle and extort and get rich and get away with it!
