Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request From: TELECOM Moderator Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Crackers: Innocent and Misunderstood, Says Mr. Kapor Message-ID: <8473@accuvax.nwu.edu> Date: 1 Jun 90 03:32:36 GMT Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu Organization: TELECOM Digest Lines: 27 Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 401, Message 5 of 13 According to the {Washington Post}, Mitchell Kapor, inventor of Lotus 1-2-3, is considering backing a national effort to defend computer hackers against prosecution resulting from Operation Sun Devil, a two-year investigation of potential computer fraud. The Secret Service said the hackers who were the target of the probe are individuals who had gained unauthorized access to company computer systems -- including one at AT&T -- or had stolen and distributed software programs that belonged to major corporations. Kapor said he thinks the government probe has been misdirected and damaging to technological innovation and to dissemination of information. Gary J. Jenkins, assistant director of the Secret Service, said, "We will continue to investigate aggressively those crimes which threaten to disrupt our nation's business and government services." Maybe if Mr. Kapor had his Lotus 1-2-3 ripped off good he might change his tune. Anyone know other projects of his we might steal and start handing out freely around the net? After all, we wouldn't want to 'damage technological innovation or dissemination of information' now would we? Please keep his attitude on this serious problem in mind the next time you use or consider purchasing his software. If you can't find a way to steal it outright, then borrow a pirated copy from someone else. PT