tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36666403.post396752389417855921..comments2023-08-22T03:03:02.758-07:00Comments on Forensic Focus Blog: Why the hell is everything so expensive?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36666403.post-75623760156927211822008-08-11T05:32:00.000-07:002008-08-11T05:32:00.000-07:00Well, i think that part of the costs related to th...Well, i think that part of the costs related to the technologies can be avoided using Open Source tools. In my office, for example, we are working with PTK Forensic for the conventional cases. This makes us save money..Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36666403.post-78330129133891321632008-06-30T09:42:00.000-07:002008-06-30T09:42:00.000-07:00Everything is expensive because the current market...Everything is expensive because the current market will bear it. People would rather pay the money for easy-to-use tools; tools that can be learned and used by people without having a computer science or programming background (like most cops and lawyers).<BR/><BR/>If a person is dedicated enough and smart enough, practically everything they need to get the job done can be had for free using Linux and open-source software tools. You just have to be willing to walk away from the comfy (but expensive) world of Windows as a forensic workstation platform. I think you also have to be extremely comfortable (like at the level of a senior sysadmin) in the Linux environment before using it as a forensic platform, though, and many people aren't willing to invest the time -- they'd rather pay the money.<BR/><BR/>Either way is perfectly acceptable. However, I do believe a significant side-benefit to going the Linux/open-source route, and really immersing yourself and thoroughly learning that environment, is that you will end up a more technically proficient and knowledgeable practitioner.<BR/><BR/>-SteveAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36666403.post-2004547115262076672008-04-10T06:41:00.000-07:002008-04-10T06:41:00.000-07:00I was pleasantly suprised the other day upon order...I was pleasantly suprised the other day upon ordering a load of evidence bags to discover that they weren't subject to the normal "technology tax" that the rest of our forensic equipment is !<BR/><BR/>It is a significant problem for an independent consultant to fork out for things - but it is one of those great markets - we can't do without them and therefore they can charge what they like ...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com