Slashdot Mirror
UK Hacker loses Extradition Case
SnakeOil Steve writes to tell us that Gary McKinnon, the alleged hacker who broke into Army, Air Force, Navy, and NASA systems, has just lost his extradition case. From the article: "'My intention was never to disrupt security. The fact that I logged on and there were no passwords means that there was no security,' McKinnon said, outside the hearing at London's Bow Street Magistrates Court. 'I was looking for UFOs.'"
"Time for intarweb nerds to grow up and realise that there really are consequences for actions."
I don't think anyone questions that what the guy did was wrong. The question is, should he face extradition to the US and a possible 70 year jail sentance, rather than being tried in his own country under more sane laws, with more sane sentances.
So if you steal a CD from walmart it's not actually stealing? I think there's a flaw in that train of thought.
Copyright infringement is using a work in a way that you are not allowed because it is copyrighted. An example of this would be you taking a CD you OWN into a radio station and playing it over the air for all to hear without proper licensing from its owner. Or setting it up to stream from your website.
If you don't own the work in the first place, then it's copyright infringement AND stealing. The taking possession of the work in the first place, be in via 5-finger-discount from walmart or downloading it on your computer illegally...is stealing.
No, we here (in the US) only ship people overseas for torture and other unconstitutional, uncivilized and pointless acts.
Flamebait or not, it's the truth. Obviously it's a truth some people are uncomfortable with.