Good points. To be more precise, I think that an open source approach to system research and design can be hyper-competitive versus closed-door secret-squirrel development run by a committee looking for short-term wins. This project benefits me firstly because I get feedback on my initial scratchings and maybe even collaboration on areas outside my comfort zone. And it could well enable me and others to avoid having to work for the sociopaths.

I am biased in thinking that monitoring the market and trading at low latency isn't fundamentally a bad thing, and shouldn't be taxed because others are too lazy to do the same thing. I certainly think that hft has been used by evil people to front-run unknowing third-parties, often in collaboration with middle men and women who turn a blind eye to the morality of their business models.