While not conclusive proof, the studies seem to lend credence to the claims of Open Source advocates. The study measured the time between general awareness of a security flaw and the availability of a patch. They compared response times between Redhat Linux, Microsoft NT, and Sun Microsystems Solaris. Everyone seems to have an opinion on Open Source. There are plenty of arguments, both pro and con, and almost everyone has a favorite story to prove their point.
Proponents argue that access to source code allows anyone to examine the code.
With lots of eyes looking at the code, bugs are likely to be quickly found and fixed. Open source software written to open standards facilitates interoperability. Users can pursue a strategy of mix and match to find the best combination of software for their particular needs. Critics contend that access to the source code makes it easier for attackers to find vulnerabilities. They argue that having access to the source code doesn't mean anyone is actually looking at it, or that all the bugs have been found and fixed.