Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!decwrl!limbo!taylor
From: jhagen@TALOS.UUCP (Jarom Hagen)
Newsgroups: comp.society
Subject: Re: Computers as weapons
Message-ID: <1666@limbo.Intuitive.Com>
Date: 28 Jan 91 23:31:52 GMT
Sender: taylor@limbo.Intuitive.Com
Organization: NPRI, Alexandria VA
Lines: 27
Approved: taylor@Limbo.Intuitive.Com

Tim Klein writes:

> A recent poster pointed out that one good way for a computer programmer
> to resist warfare is simply to avoid working for the military.

That's like saying that a way to resist corruption in government is to not
work for a company that does any buying or selling with the government.  War
may be bad, but working for the military doesn't make you a warmonger.

Which is more humane: throwing some low-tech bombs out of a slow airplane and
hoping you hit your target or launching a high-tech missle that you can guide
to its target.  With the weapons being used now, it is much easier to avoid
killing people because most of the weapons hit the target, not some house
nearby.

> All the news features about the high-tech weapons being used in Iraq
> have made me curious.  How do those who work with military computers
> justify to themselves the knowledge that they are creating weapons?

Personally, I would feel very good had I been the creator of the Patriot
Missle System.  Here is a "weapon" that cannot kill people, only offensive
missles.

I am not an advocate of war, but I feel that preparing for war by creating
better defenses is a commendable way of being employed.

Jarom