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Windows Source Code Seller Arrested

Posted by samzenpus on from the stealing-is-futile dept.

prostoalex writes "New York Times says William O. Genovese Jr., 27, of Meriden, Conn. has been arrested by the Feds for selling source code for Windows NT and Windows 2000 operating systems. It's not perfectly clear whether Genovese was selling the portion of the code that was leaked earlier this year or if he had access to other portions of Windows source code. The timing, though, coincides, as the code leaked in February, the same month NYT claims the entrepreneur obtained the source code."

9 of 275 comments (clear)

  1. United States by Scoria · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's not perfectly clear whether Genovese was selling the portion of the code that was leaked earlier this year

    It's not perfectly clear whether Genovese was selling [the code] at all. Innocent until proven guilty, despite what our current administration would have you believe.

    --
    Do you like German cars?
  2. What the article doesn't say... by Awestruckin · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...is that the guy sold the source code printed on soft white double-ply. (unscented.)

    1. Re:What the article doesn't say... by TheRaven64 · · Score: 5, Funny

      They've caught the guy selling the source, now if they could just lock up the ones selling the binaries then the Internet would be a better place for all of us...

      --
      I am TheRaven on Soylent News
  3. linux code by Outsider_99 · · Score: 5, Funny

    I heard that people are now leaking the linux code all over the place ;)

  4. What's funnier? by glh · · Score: 5, Funny

    He tried to use Paypal to sell it, or he sold it for only $20?? Apparently, he doesn't place a high value on MS's source code...

  5. Disgusting by quigonn · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I find it disgusting that /. (and other news sites) publish the arrested person's full name. This person is not yet proven guilty, and still has a right for privacy and personal integrity - when a British newspaper published the names of convicted child molesters, lynch mobs formed to try to hunt down and kill those people. This should never happen, as it is totally against the concept of a modern constitutional state.

    --
    A monkey is doing the real work for me.
    1. Re:Disgusting by Lord+Byron+II · · Score: 5, Insightful

      But if they released his full name you can bet they are pretty sure about this one. But that attitude is precisely the problem. First, our system is about "guilt beyond a reasonable doubt", not "they are pretty sure" and second, that assumption is already tainting potential jurers in to believing the man is guilty long before the trial even begins.

  6. Why buy stolen code when MS provides it for free?! by Anita+Coney · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's SO easy to get the code legitimately from Microsoft. All you have to do is form a huge country and threaten to convert over to Linux from Windows for security concerns. Ballmer will probably fly out himself with a copy of any source code you desire.

    Now isn't that easier than committing a felony?!

    --
    If someone says he and his monkey have nothing to hide, they almost certainly do.
  7. Along with the code... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    were the comments:

    // Did stuff here when drunk,
    // seems to work, don't change!

    // Obfusticate code and use really
    // old librarys, this should annoy
    // some Wine devs muhahaha

    // Struck a deal with Symantec to
    // leave this vunerability in, don't
    // change!