Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site teldata.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!houxm!hogpc!houti!ariel!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!teltone!teldata!tac From: tac@teldata.UUCP Newsgroups: net.misc,net.legal Subject: Re: Password hacker gets probation (& other electronic crimes) Message-ID: <333@teldata.UUCP> Date: Mon, 7-May-84 11:58:10 EDT Article-I.D.: teldata.333 Posted: Mon May 7 11:58:10 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 8-May-84 00:41:17 EDT References: <90@tilt.UUCP>, <308@ihu1g.UUCP> <822@ihuxw.UUCP>, <739@ihuxx.UUCP>, <1444@dartvax.UUCP> Organization: Teltone Corp., Kirkland, WA Lines: 58 , (sop to the blank line eaters--consider it a religious sacrifice) >> From: johnc@dartvax.UUCP (John Cabell) >> Organization: Dartmouth College >> >> I agree, also, that intent should be considered when giving >> a sentence to someone who breaks into a system, but there is >> the problem of finding out if he *relly was* just breking in >> to see if it could be done, or if he was trying to get some >> secrets hidden deep in memory. >> But I think that the difficulty of breaking into the system >> should be considered. It takes alot of time, effort and money >> to make a difficult system, and if some high school/college >> student breaks into it on a rainy sunday afternoon, it shows >> one that the system can't have been that difficult and two >> that the company has to get someone to design another system. >> >> John Cabell, >> --johnc >> !dartvax!johnc >> Well, if I came home and found some *ssh*l* picking the lock on my front door my first reaction would be to blow him away. Now it may well be that he just wanted to see if he could do it, and wasn't even going to enter if he made it, but he might have left the door unlocked when he was done f*ck*ng with it! Having been caught, what else would/could he say except "I just wanted to see if I could do it." It would be a good thing for him that I don't carry a gun, and couldn't do as my first impulse suggests, but let us analyze just what punishment should be met out. My second impulse would be to break all his fingers so he couldn't do it again soon (if at all), and that may seem a bit harsh to some of you out there. I admit that it is harsh. Somewhere he never picked up the idea of privacy, respecting the rights and possesions of others and a few other morals which are necessary to a society which lives cheek-by-jowl in large cities and suburbs. (Daisy May of 'Lil Abner fame once said, "Morals are great, every chile should have one.") Our little lock picker should be taught the error of his ways or he will never learn that what he did is wrong. The Jurisprudence system should be a learning experience--if caught and convicted you should learn not to do it again. Residency in jail will not teach you anything by hate, fear of others, the many positions of sodomy and five new criminal skills. We need to find another way of teaching criminals something. I suggest that the first lesson be painfull, but not of long duration, the second lesson be permanent but not disabling, and the third lesson be final. This may seem harsh and it is. When we quit coddling criminals we will find a lot less of them. Now it is I'm waiting for the lightening bolt to strike! I have presented a wide open target, have at me. From the Soapbox of Tom Condon {...!uw-beaver!teltone!teldata!tac} A Radical A Day Keeps The Government At Bay.