Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!seismo!ukma!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request
From: jcp@cgch.uucp (Joseph C Pistritto)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Mitch Kapor and "Sun Devil"
Message-ID: <8531@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 2 Jun 90 06:33:58 GMT
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> From: TELECOM Moderator <telecom@eecs.nwu.edu>

[some stuff about Kapor considering defending the "Sun Devil" crackers
deleted here - all factual data]

> 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?

Ahem.  Really now Patrick.  I know you're kidding, you know it,
probably every one of the intelligent people on this planet would know
it ... but DO YOU REALLY WANT TO HAVE A COMMENT LIKE THIS DISTRIBUTED
ON THE INTERNET???

> If you can't find a way to steal it outright, then borrow a 
> pirated copy from someone else.  

And how many people, not knowing the 'context' of your remarks, would
view this as a blatant invitation to piracy???

There can be valid concerns about possibly prosecuters overstepping
their authority and government abuse of power, etc. without condoning
either piracy or theft.  If these guys really ripped off source from
AT&T or elsewhere, then they deserve what happens next, on the other
hand, I can't really say that about people who run BBS systems that
merely have the message passed thru their system, unknowingly.  If the
result of this "Sun Devil" operation is that private BBS owners start
closing down their systems due to fear of prosecutors, and things like
FIDOnet disappear, then America will have lost a valuable resource
indeed, and Mr. Kapor may be correct in being concerned.  Note that
your article didn't say he 'decided' to support these folks, merely
that he was considering it.  Let's wait for him to make up his mind
before condemning, shall we?  


Joseph C. Pistritto
(bpistr@ciba-geigy.ch, jcp@brl.mil)
Ciba Geigy AG, R1241.1.01, Postfach CH4002, Basel, Switzerland
Tel: +41 61 697 6155 (work) +41 61 692 1728 (home)   GMT+2hrs!


[Moderator's Note: And what about people who pick up the {Washington
Post} for the first time in their life and see credence given to the
theory that burglary and theft are not really that at all, and that
government attempts to prosecute burglary and theft are 'damaging to
technical innovation and to dissemination of information'. Maybe you
should write a letter to the Post and complain about them spreading
that stuff all over the world in their paper. I doubt *they* would
give you the courtesy I have -- of printing your letter.  PT]