Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Spyware Maker Indicted on Hacking Charges

Posted by Zonk on from the consider-what-you-code dept.

An anonymous reader writes "The San Diego Union-Tribune is reporting that Carlos Enrique Perez Melara, the author of an investigative tool called 'Lover Spy,' has been indicted on 35 counts of federal hacking violations. This begs the question: if you develop and sell a software product, are you responsible for what your users choose to do with it?" From the article: "Perez, a native of El Salvador, probably is in the Los Angeles area, said Stewart Roberts, the second highest-ranking agent at the San Diego FBI office. Crime Stoppers has offered a $1,000 reward. Perez is charged with 35 crimes, each of which carries a potential five-year prison sentence if he is convicted. "

5 of 233 comments (clear)

  1. begging the question ... by cballowe · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Among the most misused phrases EVER. Read this or do a search on your favorite search enging for "begs the question" and you'll see why some find this one of the most obnoxious phrases ever.

    For more fun, see the reaction of people when they are making an argument that begs the question, and you tell them "you're really begging the question." Most of the time they'll respond with something similar to "what question?"

    For those who don't wish to read the link - "begs the question" means to assume your conclusion as part of your argument, not forces one to ask a particular question.

    1. Re:begging the question ... by vga_init · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      English is a living language; meanings evolve over time. Take the word "hacker," for instance. You can argue your own definition of it until you're blue in the face, providing ample proof that yours is the "proper" one. However, the moment you say "hacker" to refer to a cyber criminal, everyone knows exactly what you mean, even the ones that prefer the old definition.

      I, for one, welcome our new modern language overlords.

    2. Re:begging the question ... by MorePower · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      Which makes the "proper" use of "begging the question" completely wrong. Granted the "improper" use of the phase is a bit grammer-challenged, but at least there is some "begging" (the listeners mind urgently pleas for something) about a "question".

      The "proper" use makes no logical sense at all (which is very ironic considering that the "proper" use is defined in the field of logic). There is no begging going on in any modern sense of the word "beg", what is going on is assuming. And is being assumed isn't a question, but rather the answer to a question.

      So why can't the logic folks (being logical and all) just say "you're assuming the answer"? That makes perfect sense and says exactly what you mean without having to explain anything. And it opens up the phase "begging the question" for uses where there is actual begging and questions involved.

    3. Re:begging the question ... by cballowe · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      What you're missing is that "beg" has a less common definition. "to evade; dodge" or "to take for granted without proof." Under either of these definitions, the definition of "begs the question" makes sense. The problem with such phrases is that people apply the one definition they know for a world like "beg" and completely change the meaning of a phrase.

      I won't deny that "begs the question" was introduced into the english language by a poor translation of latin, but it doesn't mean the new meaning is less annoying to those who know the old meaning, and on a site like slashdot, the editors should realize that their audience includes those trained in logic.

  2. Weapons and security by DoktorTomoe · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    So if *I* own a gun, and there is a probability that any of my fellow humans around me also own a gun, but may think they are faster or better using it, how does that make me feel more secure?

    OK, so in countries with gun control, $badguy may have a weapon even if he is not allowed to. In nations without gun control (are there any beneath the US of A?), $badguy is allowed to own one. But your neighbor might also have a gun/rifle/whatever, and as soon as your dog is too loud at night, he might snap and start the fire on your house. Probably you are dead sooner than you are able to "defend yourself" with your own weapon. Great security, isn't it?

    Somehow this "Get a weapon to protect yourself"-stuff does not appeal to me...

    --
    Screw the FSM - Real geeks believe in the Invisible Pink Unicorn