True Allele is a computer program that separates mixed up DNA samples. For example a blood sample from a crime scene where both the victim and a suspect were cut and bled in a struggle. Now we have defense attorneys, a disreputable bunch, claiming that True Allele is falsely pointing the finger at their clients.
To fix this, the attorneys want to look at the source code of the program. The program's developer, Mark Perlin, says "No way. It's a trade secret".
This is a baloney argument on the attorney's part. My day job for 40 years was looking at other guy's computer code and fixing the bugs in it. It's tough. And there is no way an outsider can look at the C source code and know anything. Computer code is opaque to the point of unreadable, and there is no way any number of lawyers and their hired computer scientists can tell anything by reading the code of the program.
Mark Perlin has brought the program's test suite, and the test results into court, and he, correctly, says that tests and test results are the only way to know that the program works as advertised.
Far as I am concerned, the attorneys want to look at the code as a way to delay justice being done on their clients.
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