[Wolves] I'm back!

Old Dan wolves at mailman.lug.org.uk
Tue Aug 5 15:39:01 2003


Chris Owen wrote:
> From: Old Dan [mailto:dan@dannyboy.dnsalias.org] 
> Chris Owen wrote:
>>>Nor can I agree with you on this one fizz.  Alex was effectively asking
>>>for us to condone his criminal activity.
>>When?  What I read was 'hello, I'm back'...  There was a reference to 
>>'just because I got...' but I think that was sarcastic.  He's probably 
>>learned his lesson.
> 
> I read it differently Dan.  I hope you're right.
Just re-read it.  Still reads the same to me.  ::shrugs::
> 
>>>  I'm not going to condone this
>>>any more than I would condone shoplifting or spray painting graffiti.
>>
>>Would you condemn me for using p2p filesharing and smoking pot?  It's 
>>criminal, after all...  and it probably costs about the same as 
>>phreaking (that is, pretty much bugger all, except maybe a relatively 
>>insignificant (compared to their profits) cost to the corporates)
> 
> p2p - honestly not sure on that one.  After all we've all home taped at
> some point, and I think I've actually bought more music software as a
> result because of the love of music I got from being able to hear more
> of it.  Pot - no problem, but wouldn't do it myself.  My concern would
> be your health, and in the end that is your concern, not mine.  Don't
> know what phreaking is, which probably marks me out as something on this
> board, by the sound of it.
Phreaking, more specifically phone phreaking, is the art of using a 
phone line without paying.  It spread basically AFAIK because telcos 
were charging ridiculous rates for metered local calls.

AFAIK.
> 
>>>If you think that's authoritarian, dictatorial and patronising, fine,
>>>your view.  The guy is not lame because he got caught, the guy is lame
>>>because he broke the law and still wants us to pat him on the back for
>>>it.
>>I'll say it again, exactly when did he ask us to pat him on the back? 
>>He lamented being off the internet, but then so would I.  He didn't say
>>'look at me, I'm so clever' at all.
> See above.
> 
> 
>>This holier-than-thou stuff coming from the list is getting on my 
>>nerves.  I can /remember/ being that age(dim and distant memories...) 
>>and I guess I must be a natural rebel - I'd have /killed/ to be on the 
>>phreaking scene, and yes, I'd probably have been a 14m3 script kiddie. 
>>I wasn't and never have been a phreaker or a script kiddie, *but*....
> 
> 
> On this we differ.  I don't think I would have wanted to be part of that
> scene, even given my dim understanding of what it is.  I really wouldn't
> want to claim to be holier than anyone, and I'm concerned that one or
> two out there have built up an entire edifice of false perceptions
> around one or two comments I've made.  I stand by them, but not the Aunt
> Sally that got thrown up with it.  And I really wish I hadn't bothered.
Fair enough.  Here's how I read it:

1) Goththing does something stupid like calling his own house whilst 
phreaking
2) Goththing gets banned from internet for 11 months by parents
3) Goththing serves time (complete with iron bars, slopping-out bucket, 
lumpy mattresses and large bloke with tattoos)
4) Goththing gets back on internet and says hello, explaining why he 
wasn't around
5) Everyone (it seems) jumps down his throat for being a berk (which, 
admittedly, he was) instead of welcoming him back

>>..and no, I'm not condoning anything either.  From what I read you can 
>>make a real nuisance of yourself with a beige box, but then we don't 
>>actually know what he did do we?
> No we don't.  But evidently enough to get him dealt with by the OB, and
> enough for his parents to take things very seriously.
I think one generally follows the other.  My parents wouldn't have given 
a monkeys about me smoking pot when I was younger I'm sure, but if I 
ever got caught I'm positive they'd have taken it v. seriously.
> 
>>Well thanks a lot for sobering me up.  You /do/ realise this means I'm 
>>going to have to do /work/.  You bastards!  ;)
> 
> Enjoy ;)
I'm putting it off as long as possible - I've made it to 3pm, only 2 
hours to go...  On the downside, el bosso (the lord high and mighty 
Managing Director of this place) has not long walked in, so it's not 
looking too good...

-- 
Dan