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College Police Think Using Linux Is Suspicious Behavior
FutureDomain writes "The Boston College Campus Police have seized the electronics of a computer science student for allegedly sending an email outing another student. The probable cause? The search warrant application states that he is 'a computer science major' and he uses 'two different operating systems for hiding his illegal activity. One is the regular B.C. operating system and the other is a black screen with white font which he uses prompt commands on.' The EFF is currently representing him."
This would be funny except it's scary instead . . .
Do rent-a-cops have any power to seize property, or is this just a case of theft?
shit, if using 2 os's can hide my porn addiction, i'll be a tripple-booting, VM-running, 8 computer-having motherfucker!
Only outlaws will have Linux ;)
I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
Judge: Would the prosecution give its opening statements in this case? ... and uh--who's that over there?--it's Clippy! ... this evil operating system is what hackers use. Maybe those hackers are the same ones that stole your credit card information? Maybe this operating system can only be understood by the criminally insane? I know I can't use it. It would be like me trying to read a book in German. You know who else spoke German? Hitler.
Prosecutor: Ladies & gentlemen of the jury, I have every intent to prove to you today that the defendant is not only guilty but that the warrant application that granted us the right to acquire evidence practically wrote itself! Now, I am going to outline the warning signs that were evident in the days leading up to this case. I want you to close your eyes for a second and imagine your warm and fuzzy graphical (that's geek speak for 'good') user interface of Windows XP--that all you good Christian patriots use. Ah, the field of green with a blue screen and your well known icons and start menu where everybody knows your name and system tray with your favorite purple gorilla and application bar
*pauses until he sees smiles cross the juries faces*
Prosecutor: Now, imagine that all that is taken away and you're left with the cold dark nothingness of space--like before God created the earth. The heavens and stars aren't even there. It's nothing! And there, blinking unendingly, with no remorse or care for anything good is an intimidating cursor after some letters and symbols that no American could decipher. And as you type things like "I want to order shoes on Amazon" it responds only with the cold harsh words of the devil telling you that ordering shoes on Amazon is not a valid command. And Clippy? Clippy is dead.
*takes a drink of water and smiles smugly as the jury begins to scowl*
Prosecutor: And this is what the defendant used to send that e-mail. This
Prosecutor: So you see, this warrant was basically granted from keystroke one after we found out that the defendant was using Linux--an operating system that encourages you to use a file sharing software to install it. The warrant is valid, I'm just asking you what else might have been done with Linux and its evil knowledge installed on that college student's head and computer. Your honor, I rest my case.
My work here is dung.
Apparently this "computer hacker" is also encoding his computer work in an obscure "binary code" of only 1's and 0's. It's obvious he has a lot to hide: his hard drive is filled with them!
Not if you use windows.
Linux users are too busy trying to get their computer working properly to have time for anything illegal.
*ducks*
if he used the superior green-on-black coloring scheme. Using it shows a man with good taste and and high moral values.
The police will be by shortly. I mean, by your own admission:
"Come on now, I own a rifle, ... I shoot people... I ...m... a terrorist"
How much clearer can that be?
Everything you know is wrong, Just forget the words and sing along.
So are you saying the judge is gay?
now we need to go OSS in diesel cars
It's a violation of B.C.'s Friends of Gays policy. Too many emails mass-sent proudly proclaiming their friends' sexuality clogs the network, so they have to stop it.
The enemies of Democracy are
This is why I go to great lengths to prove I have nothing to hide...
Just doing my part to make the world a better place. Your welcome!
He might be burned for linuxcraft if they find the dead badger he installed VüDü Linux on.
Put him in a speedo and show him some porn.
Do daemons dream of electric sleep()?
But does he use lin.... excuse me, there's a knock on the door. ^^^^^NO CARRIER
"Been obvious for around two decades and change now"
Damn, how did Obama manage to pull that off?
"..the other is a black screen with white font which he uses prompt commands on.' This kid is totally 1337, he's using DOS!
Never heared of Boston Software Distribution?
errrmh...
The MAFIAA is a bunch of mindless jerks who will be the first up against the wall when the revolution comes
That's right, seize all slashdot servers and try to find out who posted this.
AND he used ssh for remote logins. Burn him!
First entomology, then virology, and finally bioinformatics systems. Bugs follow me wherever I go.
*whooooooosh*
Thanks for pointing the whooshing sound that accompanied your post, so nobody else has to bring it to your attention.
Penetration Enhanced Network Interface Security.
A misleading headline, jumping to conclusions like mad hares, and mad conspiracy theories about "the man?"
On slashdot?
The deuce you say!
"What I should have said was: 'yes', but what I actually said was: 'Well, Officer Pythagoras, I think you'll only find a straighter line if you were to take an electroencephalograph of your own brain'. " - Emo Philips
FGD 135