[Wolves] I'm back!

[wolves@mailman.lug.org.uk]

> Fizz,
>
> You're putting words and opinions in my mouth which aren't mine.  I
> agree with you that there are times when the law needs to be challenged
> non-compliance.  But this is theft, probably of calls from some other
> bill payer's account - that or from BT in which case we all pay
> indirectly for the actions of people who do this.  Hence no more morally
> justifiable than a pickpocket.  Nor do I agree with you that hacking
> into a computer is somehow not that serious.  If I forget to lock my
> front door it still doesn't give you the right to wander in and look at
> whatever you want inside my house.  There is no moral ambiguity there.
>
> Chris
>

Chris - see my other comments as to why nothing is being
stolen (re: beige box) here.

It depends on whether hacking into a computer is that
serious.

You have assumed in your argument that your computer is just
the same as your home. Is it? Do you go to sleep in your CPU
every night? No.

If I were to install a distributed calculation engine client
on your machine, would you consider this the same as me
taking part of your wall? Or your water supply?

What if *you* installed seti@home? Would this be like
donating the water from your house?

Seeing as you seem to believe that what you don't know can't
hurt you - would it matter if I stole some of your CPU
cycles if you didn't know?

There is clear moral ambiguity - in sympathy with where your
computer fits in your life and it's analogy with the real
world.

Open your eyes a bit.

bambam