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Feds Bust Cable Modem Hacker
Several readers noted the indictment of hardware hacker Ryan Harris, known as DerEngel. Harris wrote the 2006 book Hacking the Cable Modem, explaining how to get upgraded speed or even free Internet service by bypassing the firmware locks on Motorola Surfboard modems. He has run a profitable business at tcniso.net since 2003, selling unlocked cable modems. (The site is now offline.) Harris has been charged with conspiracy, aiding and abetting computer intrusion, and wire fraud. Wired quotes Harris's reaction: "I read the indictment — it's complete bull****. I'll tell you right now I'm not going to plead guilty."
Not to mention the second amendment. Its kind of part of the bill of rights.
It's called "padding the charges to try to force a plea deal", and it's one of the reasons our justice system is so fucked up.
Thousands of people plead guilty to shit they didn't do each year, because they're offered the "reasonable" alternative - accept a jail sentence of X amount, OR get 5x the time and financially ruined and never be able to work again because they had the "temerity" to protest their innocence.
Welcome to America. "Justice" means jack shit here.
Who cares? The powers our government have assumed for themselves in the name of "fighting the War on Terrorism" won't be given up even if they catch "Terrorist #1" Osama.
Osama is more useful to power-hungry US politicians when he is free to roam than dead or captured.
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law
What has the DMCA got to do with this case?
Fran
:):):)
1st 1st Poster of the new Millennium!
Not to mention the second amendment. Its kind of part of the bill of rights.
If you look at the role of guns in the formation of the US as a democracy, you might see that computers are the modern-day equivalent.
Beta is broken and the link to classic doesn't work. Stop wasting our time or there won't be anybody left here.
Instructions on how to use (or modify) a tool are instructions on how to use or modify a tool. Nothing more.
"Illegal" (e.g. not-street-legal) modifications to a car? Done for racing, confined to racing tracks, A-OK. Same thing taken to the street? Not ok. How about utilities that can help you repair your own X-box if it has a dead hard drive? Also plausibly able to "softmod" it, but repairing your own things is a legit use. Should it be illegal?
Criminalizing the dissemination of information is ridiculous no matter what.
Modifying equipment to get a higher level of service than was paid for is, in fact, stealing. Morally and legally.
Uh, no. Modifying equipment is not stealing, especially when its your own damn property.
Using that equipment to steal is stealing.
When information is power, privacy is freedom.
More accurately:
Car analogy.
You go to the gas station. You go inside and pay for $20 in gas. You go back to the pump, and modify it to give you $40 in gas instead.
Utility analogy.
The water company installs a meter at your house, to keep track of the water you use and charge you for it. You modify the meter to only report half of what you use.
Really, if you're going to use bad analogies, at least try to make them remotely accurate.
I agree with the spirit of what you say, but I'm blown back by what you actually said.
It's bad for civilians to prepare themselves to kill cops.
If cops prepare to kill civilians, well, that's ok.
Modding me -1 troll doesn't make me wrong.
It's this sort of blinkered, ignorant thinking that got us the whole "Twitter can save Iran!" thing. How did the whole "turning your web page green in sympathy" thing work out? Who prevailed in the end, people with computers or people with firearms? Modern-day equivalent, my ass.
Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
If anyone starts looking for these, keep in mind that there are two types of license-plate obscuring devices: those that are illegal, and those that don't work.
"When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel