As a client
of TopCoder, I think TopCoder can bring me both benefits and threat. Nowadays,
company prefer to take some non-core work and give it to some outsourcing
companies. Because the outsourcing company has professional teams to do the
work and solve problems. I think TopCoder is a types of special outsourcing
company. They are running competitions, and providing consulting services. The
top coder can be selected from the competitions. Client choose TopCoder service
and allow them use the project to conduct a competition can reduce their software
development cost, and find some professional programmer who can handle their
project and solve their problems. For TopCoder, this business model is a
win-win structure. TopCoder not only can receive money from the clients, but
also can attract new member s and retaining existing members.
TopCoder
members can help client to identify bad ideas and generate better approaches
early in the development cycle for their project, which I think is better than
other outsourcing consultants. TopCoder can provide a good quality program because
they use the competitions mode to screen the best coder. The cost for the
program also less than other outsourcing company. TopCoder can finish the
project faster than other development shops with less bugs.
However, there is a big concern
about TopCoder’s service, the security problem. using the company’s idea or
project to hold a competition may lead to a commercial secret leak. Although,
there are some confidentiality policies, intellectual property assignment
rules, it also has some probability that the business idea or secret may be
leaked. It will be a big loss if the company’s important secret been leaked. I
think TopCoder can use some less important project to hold the competition. For
those case are closely related with the business secret, the TopCoder can hire
some winners of previous competition and settle the existing member to do it.
Q4:
I read an article from techworld, which called Chirp
hatches development drive as crowdfunding campaign begins. A new iPhone application has launched
that allows users to send information between devices via a burst of “digital
birdsong”. This enables devices
to “sing” data to each other via a tiny audio clip called a chirp. As a user,
we are so tired of typing address, entering passwords or pairing devices again
and again. Chirp can help user easier to share data. The technology doesn’t
require a mobile or wireless network to send audio links, user can download it
from the cloud or opened from local storage. The latest version of the app can
download from App store for free and it has the feature allowed user to share
pictures, videos and text from anything that carries sound. Also announced by
the developers, the app will provide more feature to be used by any app for
content sharing, media campaigns, payments, ticketing, gaming and more.
Link: http://www.techworld.com/news/apps/chirp-mobile-app-transmits-data-via-digital-birdsong-3371528/
Security is certainly a significant issue for TopCoder and its clients. My initial thoughts were about the software reuse and the potential royalties that some coders may demand for that reuse. I found the Match Rules on TopCoder's website and read this statement: "You retain any and all rights to ownership of non-winning submissions submitted to TopCoder. TopCoder will not gain ownership of this material. However, by submitting any submission or any other material to TopCoder, you hereby grant a perpetual, royalty-free, irrevocable, non-exclusive right and license to TopCoder to use, reproduce and publish such documents, materials or source code for commercial and/or non-commercial use." This answered my question about royalties, but it posed another security question relating to your concern of leakage.
ReplyDeleteTopCoder implements many security measures including written agreements and regulations, and peer-reviews. Both are to protect not only themselves, but their clients as well. Specifically, the peer review process is designed to debug and ensure code quality and security. These individuals were selected by TopCoder due to their previous success in competitions. These measures, along with agreements between TopCoder and its clients, are design to minimize that risk of leakage. Sure, there is still a chance that it can happen, but TopCoder designed their competitions, or matches, to be a small piece to the entire puzzle. Each match only touches on a small part of the code. Unless a participant enrolls in every one of the competitions connected with one project, the risk of a major leak is fairly low.
With regards to if TopCoder has done enough to overcome this issue, I think that there is always room to improve especially in technology. I believe that they have successfully done enough for the time being. Things will change and evolve and TopCoder will need to do the same. In their Privacy Policy they have a headline reading "Privacy Policy Updates" that explains they intend to continuously make changes. In doing so, I think they can have success and minimal security issues.
https://community.topcoder.com/tc?module=MatchRules&rd=15087
https://www.topcoder-dev.com/community/how-it-works/privacy-policy/
I agree with the idea about information leaking concern, because security would be the most important and sensitive part of any business processes, which cannot be ignored as a concern. Thus, from the case, there are three problems that need to be considered about.
ReplyDeleteThe first one is that a client of Topcoder does not have a chance to meet with their programmer and it is hard to trust and give all the data or information to a stranger. Because it is hard to tell that whether he/she is also working for their competitors and might divulge ideas and business plan to their competitors. In addition, the second problem that would be concerned is that the solution and idea submitted by their programmer might be stolen, copyrighted or taken from open-source software projects and this might cause many other problems that affect client’s company image. However, the TopCoder is addressing these concerns by allowing their client to keep company names anonymous during the programmer competition and require programmers who participate in the competition to sign an agreement. The solution provided by the TopCoder is a way to win back some trust from their client, but it would still be a continuous point that bothering client’s decision to work with TopCoder.
Lastly, about the coding maintenance, as a client of TopCoder, whom had a project done by elite programmers through TopCoder, if there were anything that happened with the project or system later during business processes. It should be considered as a problem that where to get maintenance of the system or how to upgrade this system based on its original coding.
Looks like many classmates agree with you addressing TopCoder's potential security risks. Security is a fundamental concern for not only the client but for TopCoder's proprietary information. In one scenario, there can be situations where users can be using multiple applications that may require different administrative permissions. Does it make sense for each user have the full administrative permissions to any application? Probably not. Security groups allow users to have access to only their required resources for their role. Limiting permissions and accessibility to company resources also enforces accountability for users. Another important aspect of security is auditing. Not only is important to track user activities while on the applications, but also review the collected data. It is important to consider the five pillars of information assurance (IA) within day-to-day business operations.
ReplyDeleteFive pillars of IA:
Availability
Integrity
Authentication
Confidentiality
Nonrepudiation
From the PDF referenced below, TopCoder security is managed under a centralized security framework. With a centralized security framework users are maintained through a single tool. TopCoder Security Components identify:
SAML Components
Authentication
Authorization
Encryption
Auditing
In addition I agreed with your analysis of the companies business model. The TopCoder business model is a win-win structure for clients and programmers. This free agent concept benefits many companies and programmers by showcasing talent and innovation. Likewise, the TopCoder business model is structured as collaboration by competition. TopCoder strategically hosts mini competitions each week to allow programmers to demonstrate creativity and support the model of collaboration by competition. Effectively, TopCoder acts as a resource for talented programmers for any business to seek out a solution.
http://software.topcoder.com/pdfs/casestudies/identity_management.pdf