Microsoft using hackers to help Vista

After suffering embarrassing security exploits over the past several years, Microsoft Corp. is trying a new tactic: inviting some of the world’s best-known computer experts to try to poke holes in Vista, the next generation of its Windows operating system.

This is a great idea, and it’s somewhat surprising that they didn’t try this before. Maybe an even better idea would be to hire some great security professionals to do this along the development cycle. Microsoft has changed the way code is analyzed though, so maybe Vista really will be an improvement over XP.