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Hackers' Shutdown of 'The Interview' Confirms Coding Is a Superpower

theodp writes: The idea of programming as a superpower was touched upon by CS teacher Alfred Thompson back in 2010, but it became a rallying call of sorts for the Hour of Code after Dropbox CEO Drew Houston described coding as "the closest thing we have to a superpower" in a Code.org video that went viral. And if the kids who learned to code with the President last week were dubious about the power of coding, this week's decision by Sony to scrap the release of the satirical film The Interview after a massive hack attack should put aside any doubts, especially after new revelations that Sony had reached out to the White House for help and screened the film for administration officials back in June. White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Thursday that the Obama Administration is viewing the Sony attack as a "serious national security matter" and is considering a range of possible options as a response, which could turn things into a contest of U.S. Superpower vs. Coding Superpower. In case it wasn't mentioned last week, remember to always use your coding superpower for good, kids!

221 comments

  1. Huh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "Coding" had nothing to do with theaters dropping the movie. What made them drop the movie was a terrorist threat that spoked a bunch of bean counters.

    1. Re:Huh? by buchner.johannes · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Anytime you are afraid, the terrorists win.

      --
      NB: The message above might reflect my opinion right now, but not necessarily tomorrow or next year.
    2. Re:Huh? by Lunix+Nutcase · · Score: 4, Informative

      The threat that stopped the movie from being released was the claim of blowing up theaters. Why would the theater chains who backed out care about Sony's data being leaked?

    3. Re:Huh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      Without coding, the movies and data wouldn't have been copied.

      And without coding, man would never have walked on the moon. Therefore, Neil Armstrong was a computer programmer.
      You know, one of the reasons hackers get bothered when people who break into computers get called "hackers" is because it implies the crackers can code. It's why the phrase "script kiddie" was invented. Breaking into a computer doesn't require coding, and doesn't imply coding.
      The idea of North Korean computer programmers reminds me of Elbonia.

    4. Re:Huh? by kruach+aum · · Score: 1

      Please enlighten me about where you get your malware from, because it's gotta be good if it just magically came into existence, no coding required.

    5. Re:Huh? by RabidReindeer · · Score: 3, Insightful

      "Coding" had nothing to do with theaters dropping the movie. What made them drop the movie was a terrorist threat that spoked a bunch of bean counters.

      And it wouldn't surprise me to learn that the bean counters had also been the ones that nixed proper security procedures within Sony.

      Because IT Doesn't Matter. What matters is getting the Low Price Always.

    6. Re:Huh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hackers: People who break into remote computer systems.
      Crackers: People who remove copy protection from software.

      These meanings have been in common use for at least three decades. Take a look at issue #1 of Phrack from 1985...

      http://www.phrack.org/archives/issues/1/1.txt

      On page 1: "These philes may include articles on telcom (phreaking/hacking), anarchy (guns and death & destruction) or kracking."
      On page 3: "I, being a good friend and quite bored, asked him about cracking Apple games. He told me that he had spent the last summer cracking programs."

    7. Re:Huh? by ArcadeMan · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Since this is Slashdot, let me explain it with cars.

      The people who write malware from scratch are programmers. It's the same as engineers creating and designing new cars.

      The people who create malware variations with a pre-made tool are not programmers. It's the same as mechanics, people who do engine tuning.

      The people who use malware are script kiddies. It's the same as people driving at reckless speeds in your neighbourhood streets.

    8. Re:Huh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I don't think you understand the meaning of the word "imply."
       
      Sure, there is a chance that the hackers in question used some coding skills to do what they did but they didn't have to. I knew tons of H/P/A types back in the day who had a hard time with basic math let alone coding. For what they did they didn't need to be able to code. What you're seeming to suggest is that someone who drives a car needs to have the skills to build one too. This is an easily dismissed notion.

    9. Re:Huh? by oldmac31310 · · Score: 1

      Sorry, I don't understand. May we please have a car analogy...oh, right. Thanks.

      --
      http://www.acetonestudio.com
    10. Re:Huh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Best theory I've read so far.

    11. Re:Huh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Mod up. If people can't handle certain words having more than one meaning, they should just run screaming from the English language already.

    12. Re:Huh? by rednip · · Score: 2

      The most effective political weapon is fear most ads tell you to fear the other guy more than anything else, it's also great for keeping people watching/reading the news, plus fear makes most pay taxes and stop at red lights. I'd say that those who that use broken logic of revenge and racism keep terrorism in business as much as anything.

      --
      The force that blew the Big Bang continues to accelerate.
    13. Re:Huh? by passwd · · Score: 1

      Without screwdrivers, the computers used for the hacking couldn't have been made. Ergo, screwdrivers are superpowers. (or at least, I get superpowers after having a few screwdrivers!)

    14. Re:Huh? by Bite+The+Pillow · · Score: 2

      Coding also had nothing to do with hacking. You can learn code all day long the rest of your life, and never learn one thing about exploiting remote systems.

      Spear phishing is often in insert vector, and has nothing to do with code whatsoever.

      And at the moment, code may be the superpower that everyone has access to. Meaning its not super, and will soon be not even power.

      If a horse could take a shit directly into the intertubes, this summary would be indistinguishable

    15. Re:Huh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The threat that stopped the movie from being released was the claim of blowing up theaters.

      Just imagine the reaction if they didn't restrict their threat to theaters.

      OMG! SHUT DOWN ALL THE THINGS!

    16. Re: Huh? by jd2112 · · Score: 1

      And those who have sonic screwdrivers are beyond superpowers. They are Time Lords!

      --
      Any insufficiently advanced magic is indistinguishable from technology.
    17. Re:Huh? by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 2, Informative

      The idea of North Korean computer programmers reminds me of Elbonia.

      North Korea has built compact nuclear warheads, put satellites in orbit, and (because of sanctions) independently developed a number of technologies. They would not have been able to do those things if they couldn't program.

      Instead of just slurping up the propaganda that your government is spoon feeding you, learn to think for yourself. Go to Google Maps, zoom in on North Korea, and then click on "Earth". You will see paved roads with cars on them, farms with tractors, houses not much smaller than in the South, etc. North Korea is a poor and backwards country, but not nearly to the degree that you have been told. Until around 1970, it was wealthier, per capita, than South Korea.

    18. Re:Huh? by Stan92057 · · Score: 1

      We all know ignoring bullies doesn't always work, but when it does the bully just picks another victim.

      --
      Jack of all trades,master of none
    19. Re:Huh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "During the time when the former USSR could afford to pump money into it, North Korea was doing pretty well".

    20. Re:Huh? by Ravaldy · · Score: 1

      I don't disagree but turning a blind eye is also being careless.

      In this particular case they should have gone forward. It would have been curious to see how many people didn't go see the movie out of fear for the worst.

    21. Re:Huh? by Jason+Levine · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Anytime you are afraid, the terrorists win.

      The politicians too. ("Vote for me because my opponent will cave to the terrorists and DESTROY AMERICA!!!")

      Also some manufacturers. ("Senator X, deploy our Ultra-Cool-Sounding-But-Ultimately-Ineffective at all TSA check points. It'll give billions to us, the illusion of security to America, and a cushy job for you once you retire from the Senate.")

      And the power hungry segments of law enforcement organizations. ("We need to be able to raid homes without warrants because TERRORISM!!!")

      The public are the big losers when we get afraid thanks to terrorist threats (real or imagined in order to scare us into submission).

      --
      My sci-fi novel, Ghost Thief, is now available from Amazon.com.
    22. Re:Huh? by koan · · Score: 1

      Based on who was in the movie they probably were happy to pull what they saw as yet another Seth Rogen stinker.

      --
      "If any question why we died, Tell them because our fathers lied."
    23. Re:Huh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Also, coding is like any other language, English, French, German, Latin, Arabic.

      Then again English majors always had that air of superiority attitude in college... now that's must be a difference from CS folks (?).

      As a while if you want to generalize it... Telecommunications is the superpower we're talking about here.

    24. Re:Huh? by leonardluen · · Score: 2

      The people who use malware are script kiddies.

      i thought the people that use malware were called our relatives, whom then call us to fix their computers...

    25. Re:Huh? by davester666 · · Score: 2

      It's what the US has been living off since 9/11. They so completely surrendered to fear, it is utterly ridiculous.

      --
      Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!
    26. Re:Huh? by rednip · · Score: 2

      Since 9/11? Google 'McCarthyism', then 'yellow journalism', you should recognize that fear has always been a primary driver of human existence.

      --
      The force that blew the Big Bang continues to accelerate.
    27. Re:Huh? by davester666 · · Score: 1

      Sure, it's always been there, but it's gone to a whole new level since the "event".

      --
      Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!
    28. Re:Huh? by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 2

      "During the time when the former USSR could afford to pump money into it, North Korea was doing pretty well".

      The USSR didn't end in 1970. Besides, NK was not "doing well" then compared to now. There economy has continued to grow, and they are doing better economically than many other Asian countries, and better than most African countries. It is only compared to the spectacular growth of South Korea, that NK looks shabby.

      The USSR never considered NK to be a reliable ally, and after 1953, gave them very little aid. Kim Il Sung (grandfather of the current ruler) had served as an officer in the Soviet Red Army, and spoke fluent Russian. But he didn't trust the Soviets, and they didn't trust him. He launched the Korean War in 1950 after the Soviets told him not to. They were trying to consolidate their gains in Europe, and rebuild from WW2. The last thing they wanted was a bloody and expensive war in Asia. During the Korean War, China helped NK way more than the Soviets did. After the war, rather than showing gratitude to his allies, Kim Il Sung purged the NK government of anyone suspected of leaning toward either Russia or China. Korea is not called the "Hermit Kingdom" for nothing.

    29. Re: Huh? by ceoyoyo · · Score: 1

      In order for you to drive a car, someone had to have the skills to make it. In order for sony to get hacked, someone had to have the skills to discover the vulnerability and write something to exploit it.

      So assuming hacking sony is the result of wielding a superpower, who has that superpower? The jokers who pressed a button or the people who made the button and the thing it activated? I agree with the article, it's the coders, even if it was used indirectly, like tricking superman into doing something.

    30. Re:Huh? by rtb61 · · Score: 1

      By far the most effective weapon in the digital age is the electro magnetic pulse, the bigger and the more repeated the better. As various societies completely abandon manual methods for digital methods the more vulnerable it becomes (government should always keep manual methods going as backup, the paper and the knowledge). So no action required beyond shutting down communications, data management and digital currency exchange and then letting the arrogant apes do it to themselves.

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
    31. Re:Huh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, I am happy. Hollywood had been bullying people for too long. If they are scared by NK. good. Bring it on,

    32. Re:Huh? by thunderclap · · Score: 1

      The idea of North Korean computer programmers reminds me of Elbonia.

      North Korea has built compact nuclear warheads, put satellites in orbit, and (because of sanctions) independently developed a number of technologies. They would not have been able to do those things if they couldn't program.

      Instead of just slurping up the propaganda that your government is spoon feeding you, learn to think for yourself. Go to Google Maps, zoom in on North Korea, and then click on "Earth". You will see paved roads with cars on them, farms with tractors, houses not much smaller than in the South, etc. North Korea is a poor and backwards country, but not nearly to the degree that you have been told. Until around 1970, it was wealthier, per capita, than South Korea.

      And lets not forget they developed Sinanju. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S...

    33. Re: Huh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The hack is irrelevant. What blocked the movie was the threat of violence. That threat could have been made without the hack and would have been just as believable. It's like saying coding got you safely to work on time because coding made google maps which shows the latest accidents, but you don't use google maps. But coding!

    34. Re:Huh? by RespekMyAthorati · · Score: 1

      That's why they call it terrorism.

    35. Re: Huh? by ceoyoyo · · Score: 1

      "So assuming hacking sony is the result of wielding a superpower"

      I wrote that for a reason. The hack shut down Sony operations and let the hackers blackmail a multinational corporation. I find that quite a bit more impressive than getting a crappy movie release postponed.

    36. Re:Huh? by stoatwblr · · Score: 1

      The iranians and the cubans wont' be the boogeymonsters for much longer.

      The USG needs a new boogeymonster to keep the population cowering(*). Can't use the Middle east anymore...

      If anyone actually believes NK is behind the attacks, they're naive as all hell. (Although the NKs are making out like bandits on the accusations). The language structure, graphics used and name the attackers chose all point to a domestic USA origin.

      (*) As long as the federal US govt stays on a war footing, they don't have to devolve power back to individual states. Therefore the federal USG benefits from having a revolving-door set of "foreign enemies" to point at. They've been flailing around increasingly desperately for such enemies since the end of the Cold War.

    37. Re:Huh? by stoatwblr · · Score: 1

      One of the problems with the hacker/cracker thing is that to the wider USA population "cracker" is a racist insult, so it will never take root as a media term.

      It'd take a lot of effort but it might be possible to get the "skiddie" meme circulating in the media.

    38. Re:Huh? by stoatwblr · · Score: 1

      "North Korea has built compact nuclear warheads"

      which fizzled

      "put satellites in orbit,"

      Which no other nation was able to track in orbit

      I'm not dissing their abilities, but 90%+ of the population are held at starvation level and the primary reason people join the NKPA is so that they and their families will get fed.

      The NK's greatest achievements so far have been the ability to counterfeit currencies in economy-destabilising volumes and to produce 95%+ of the world's supply of methamphetamines - and contrary to popular belief it's not the chinese assisting them on this, it's the Russians, via their 30-mile-wide border with the country (most shipping is interdicted enough that it's not practical for them to try smuggling out via sea).

      The chinese tolerate NK, but would prefer the leadership was gone. They cut off oil and power exports to NK for 4 months during 2013 and it's clear their biggest fear isn't military, but the thought of millions of NK refugees pouring across the border if there's a regime change.

    39. Re:Huh? by peawormsworth · · Score: 1

      It would have been curious to see how many people didn't go see the movie out of fear for the worst.

      ... or how many would not see it simply because the movie was "crap". As stated in many private emails between Sony exec's.

      I would have been curious to see how many people DID see the movie out of fear of submitting to fear.

  2. I thought it was money by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Isn't money the "superpower" we have?, well, i don't have any, but still

    1. Re:I thought it was money by RevWaldo · · Score: 1

      Works for Batman.

      .

  3. hyperbole much? by jsepeta · · Score: 1

    yathink?

    --
    Remember kids, if you're not paying for the service, YOU ARE THE PRODUCT THAT IS BEING SOLD.
    1. Re:hyperbole much? by Lunix+Nutcase · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Exactly. Sony was going to press forward with the release regardless of the intrusion. What shutdown the movie was the pastebin threat that caused a bunch of theater chains to shit themselves.

    2. Re:hyperbole much? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Coding is simple. Follow the instructions and be able to create decent ones.

      If you can do those 2 things you will do ok. Most people fail at both. For example driving instructions usually involve things like 'if you see the gas station you went to far'. That can be 100% meaningless. As they *really* meant if you see the gas station I use all the time. Many people skip steps and gloss over things. Basically if you tl;dr most things do not bother.

    3. Re:hyperbole much? by rednip · · Score: 1

      Actually, the 'if you see the gas station, you went too far' is really more analogous to 'catching a runtime exception' before it travels too far up the stack.

      --
      The force that blew the Big Bang continues to accelerate.
    4. Re:hyperbole much? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yep, it was the theaters.

      Heck, what the hackers did was the airport move. Impose the same threat at an airport with or without a movie company, would result in the same response.

  4. North Korea has proved something. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    By hacking/cracking Sony and releasing some documents on a poorly secured network that have NO possible security or safety ramifications on the populace, they have shown the stupidity that is oozing out of the media, people, and government.

    Super power my ass.

    When the hacker can go in and shut down the US military - like stop it from firing a cruise missile or leave ships dead in the water - THEN I will consider it a military threat.

    Until then, actions like these are nothing but vandalism.

    1. Re:North Korea has proved something. by MacDork · · Score: 2

      Like how Iran hacked and downed a military drone in their territory?

    2. Re:North Korea has proved something. by Rich0 · · Score: 2

      Like how Iran hacked and downed a military drone in their territory?

      Sure, if you buy it. Just think about what it would take to actually do what they claimed - perform a controlled landing of an enemy drone controlled by encrypted satellite connection. I could buy jamming or maybe even gps spoofing (though military gps units can authenticate gps signals). I could buy some kind of EMP attack that disabled it. A controlled landing implies fairly complete access over the drone.

    3. Re:North Korea has proved something. by The+Grim+Reefer · · Score: 1
    4. Re: North Korea has proved something. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It isn't even plausible that NK is behind this. All we have is that an organization that can't be trusted has pointed to NK. So it probably is someone else.

    5. Re:North Korea has proved something. by mlts · · Score: 2

      Hacking something on the Internet is one thing. Compromising SIPRNet or NIPRNet... completely different.

      I wonder when businesses will stop trying to put band-aids on this problem and actually build a WAN between themselves that isn't the Internet, nor is connected to the Internet directly. It wasn't that long ago when the Internet wasn't the only WAN (DECNet anyone.) Maybe it is time for businesses to start getting leased lines, laying fiber, and creating networks that are well separated. For smaller businesses, ISPs could offer connections not just to the Internet, but to the business WAN, with ACL rules in place so if machines are not arranged to communicate with each other, they can't.

      Again, this isn't a 100% measure... but it sure ups the ante to requiring physical access, especially if endpoints encrypt all traffic between each other.

      As for malware, a decent IDS/IPS would have stopped those attacks cold. Some SANs (NetApp for one) can offer tools to look at logical drives and scan off-box for the bad stuff.

    6. Re:North Korea has proved something. by DarkOx · · Score: 1

      congratulations you have just invented privateIP MPLS service.

      Someone should tell ALL the major TELCOs about this, and anyone who has ever want to build a WAN link between more than two sides in the last 15 years, needing anything better than best effort service.

      --
      Repeal the 17th Amendment TODAY! Also Please Read http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html
    7. Re:North Korea has proved something. by Megane · · Score: 1

      I wonder when businesses will stop trying to put band-aids on this problem and actually build a WAN between themselves that isn't the Internet, nor is connected to the Internet directly.

      It won't happen unless they hire people who have a lot of clue and know how to make such things work. Which is apparently the exact opposite of what they have been doing.

      --
      #naabhaprzrag, #sverubfr-000, #agi-fcbafberq, negvpyr[pynff*=' negvpyr-ary-'] { qvfcynl: abar !vzcbegnag; }
    8. Re:North Korea has proved something. by jbmartin6 · · Score: 1

      "actually build a WAN between themselves that isn't the Internet" - They have, this is how the financial system works.

      --
      This posting is provided 'AS IS' without warranty of any kind, implied or otherwise.
    9. Re:North Korea has proved something. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      It is actually astonishing that they have more than enough money to hire the best of the best, especially after the PSN breach, but seem to have not done so.

      Blizzard is far smaller, but they have been chugging along for over a decade with the world's #1 MMO without any major breaches other than in-game exploits, DDoS attacks (which can't really be prevented if they are big enough), and individual account compromises.

    10. Re: North Korea has proved something. by rednip · · Score: 1

      Sure the CIA can be trusted, however, it's not a generally good idea unless they present the evidence and it checks out. Why don't you think 'It isn't even plausible that NK is behind this'? Do you think North Koreans can't develop 'script kiddie' technology?

      --
      The force that blew the Big Bang continues to accelerate.
    11. Re:North Korea has proved something. by rednip · · Score: 1

      Financial services and many other business already have such private connections. However, I've said for the last couple of years that the real security problem are developers (such as myself) who need high security privileges on both our own machines as well as production ones. What's more is that our browsing tends to be grouped into finding sometimes obscure downloads for administrative tasks and solutions for programming issues, which would likely add to the ability to target.. In reality the problem might not be the malware infested laptop of Marketing Sally, but Targeted Tim, the IT guy. While the real solution should likely be a OS that is more secure at least for IT and probably in general, at the very least people with too much privilege should use another PC running on different credentials for at least 'solution lookups'.

      --
      The force that blew the Big Bang continues to accelerate.
    12. Re:North Korea has proved something. by q4Fry · · Score: 1

      What's more is that our browsing tends to be grouped into finding sometimes obscure downloads for administrative tasks and solutions for programming issues, which would likely add to the ability to target. In reality the problem might not be the malware infested laptop of Marketing Sally, but Targeted Tim, the IT guy.

      Very the interesting conclusions you have!

      I invite you to perusing our blog with such many administrative task downloads at www.totally-legitimate-we-swear.com

  5. Not Really by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Planning combined with criminal abilities and the intent to apply them are a super (villainous) power. The fact they used cracking abilities as part of it is about as relevant as saying safe-cracking is a superpower if you manage to rip off a bank vault. No, good planning is the key to any heist. Or terrorist threat.

  6. Coding is NOT a "superpower" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The problem is that people in leadership positions seem to get castrated and eviscerated these days, in addition to the usual lobotomies. They have no balls, no guts, and no brains. This is why America is fucked, and good riddance.

  7. It shows we are cowards. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It also shows we are too dependent on technology and that we live in fear after 9/11. Had this movie come out before the age of the internet, the threats would have likely still been made. We would have ignored them and shown the movie and nothing would have happened.

    1. Re:It shows we are cowards. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Leadership starts at the top, especially with the man whose sworn oath is to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States". If protecting the freedom of speech doesn't fall in the list of things that office holder should be doing, I don't know what is appropriate. His inaction and lack of leadership on this issue is appalling.

    2. Re:It shows we are cowards. by Minwee · · Score: 1

      Leadership starts at the top, especially with the man whose sworn oath is to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States". If protecting the freedom of speech doesn't fall in the list of things that office holder should be doing, I don't know what is appropriate. His inaction and lack of leadership on this issue is appalling.

      Has congress made a law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances while we weren't looking? Or is it possible that you really should read your country's constitution before you try citing it?

    3. Re:It shows we are cowards. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You sound like part of the wingnut subculture. Turn off Fox news and hate-radio, and stop reading deranged far-right-wing blogs.

  8. Re:Screw them by Lunix+Nutcase · · Score: 1

    Other than straight to video there is no where to release it to. Most of the theater chains in the US backed away from it.

  9. More like by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    More like America is super cowardly.

    1. Re:More like by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Fuck you!! 'Murica is land of the free home of the brave!!!

    2. Re: More like by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah because it would have been so much better if some nut blew up even just one theater just because we would look good?

    3. Re: More like by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No one was going to blow up any theater. Stop being a fucking sissy.

    4. Re:More like by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This is ironic. Virtually every website even related on the subject is overflowing with disdain for Sony's "cut and run" tactics. It didn't work with Chamberlain handing countries to Germany, and it won't work today?

      It is Sony, the theaters, and Paramount who are the yellowbellies. Most Americans would go to a theater to watch this... just to give the middle finger to the DPRK, then eat kimchi afterwards.

      If there is an attack on a US theater, well... there is something called an act of war which people seem to forget. There is a reason why one state doesn't send troops to attack another on their soil, although these days, it is a war by proxy (KSA -> ISIS, etc.)

    5. Re:More like by Lunix+Nutcase · · Score: 1

      Sony was going to release it up until all the major theater chains said they wouldn't show it. It's sort of hard to release a movie into theaters when none of them will show it.

    6. Re: More like by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 1, Insightful

      No one was going to blow up any theater. Stop being a fucking sissy.

      Up until 9/11, the biggest terrorist attack was by an American, Timothy McVeigh. There are too many nutters out there who think their personal grievances justify killing "faceless people" to "make a statement".

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
    7. Re:More like by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They could try something new and release it on Netflix. Online streaming isn't necessarily "straight to video" like the VHS bargain bin.

    8. Re: More like by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Up until 9/11, the biggest terrorist attack was by an American,

      ...And, if elected, I promise to make America number one again!

    9. Re: More like by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So by too many you mean less than double digits over the course of 20 years. More people have probably been crushed to death by their tv in the same time frame. Ever wonder why there isn't a bombing daily and why the FBI and NSA have to grow their own terrorists to justify all the new laws? Maybe it has something to do with the fact that there are so few around they may as well just be a statistical anomaly. If the place was really teeming with terrorists your home town would look like a warzone because if anything is clear the government absolutely cannot protect you from individuals that are determined to kill people no matter how many of your freedoms they take away to make you safe. They certainly haven't stopped any of the events that had a real shot at succeeding.

    10. Re: More like by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 1

      So by too many you mean less than double digits over the course of 20 years

      Timothy McVeigh, who I specifically cited, killed 168 people, and injured almost 700. in 1995.

      1995 is within the last 20 years, and 168 dead is in the triple digits. And that's just one incident.

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
  10. What the fuck by nedlohs · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What the fuck does emailing a vague and rambling threat of violence have to do with coding and superpowers?

    1. Re:What the fuck by Lunix+Nutcase · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Nothing. This is just unadulterated clickbait.

    2. Re:What the fuck by Mr+D+from+63 · · Score: 2

      Why don't these almighty coders stop the terror threat so we can watch the damn movie!

    3. Re:What the fuck by Nemyst · · Score: 2

      This is Slashdot, submitters should know by now that nobody actually clicks the article links.

    4. Re:What the fuck by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Which you clicked on and commented on.

      Kind of makes you pointing out the fact that it's clickbait kind of ridiculous, doesn't it? "This story I clicked on is clearly clickbait." Good for you dumbass, you just did exactly what they wanted anyway...clicked on the article, got pissed and whinged in the comments section, their ad counters were incremented and they got what they wanted. What did you get? Is this the site you actually want to visit? Are these the articles you actually want to read? You seem to be suggesting the answer is "no" to both questions, yet you've obviously been coming here for years to complain.

      Maybe the one with the real problem is the one clicking on Slashdot links in the first place.

    5. Re:What the fuck by MachineShedFred · · Score: 1

      Apparently convincing movie theaters not to show a bad movie that they probably didn't want to have to show anyway with a vague threat of violence after cracking Sony's network (yeah, like that hasn't been done before) makes you a superpower.

      The theater chains were probably looking for any excuse not to show that thing but not get left out of the next Sony release they actually do want to screen. This way, Sony eats the shit sandwich rather than the theaters. Also known as "the way it should be if you make bad movies."

      --
      Slashdot still doesnâ(TM)t support Unicode after it was added to the HTML standard in 1997.
    6. Re:What the fuck by Mashiki · · Score: 1

      Nothing. This is just unadulterated clickbait.

      Welcome to modern media, or as "the media moves more towards gawker, vox, etal." Quality reporting at it's very finest.

      --
      Om, nomnomnom...
    7. Re:What the fuck by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Dear sir or madam,

      please check out the nice webpage I've found today.

    8. Re:What the fuck by gnasher719 · · Score: 1

      What the fuck does emailing a vague and rambling threat of violence have to do with coding and superpowers?

      Vague and rambling threats is the closest these idiots will ever come to coding and superpowers :-)

    9. Re:What the fuck by Kierthos · · Score: 1

      In most cases, theaters make very little money off of the ticket price, regardless of what movie is showing. I mean, think about it... the price of a ticket is the same at a theater regardless of whether you're watching "The Hobbit: Battle of Five Armies" or "Horrible Bosses 2".

      The real money the theaters make is off of concessions. Soda is about a 600% markup, popcorn is 800%.

      --
      Mr. Hu is not a ninja.
    10. Re:What the fuck by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This is just unadulterated clickbait.

      Soulskill: Unadulterated clickbait? THIS ... IS ... SLASHDOT! <kicks OP into the abyss>

    11. Re:What the fuck by q4Fry · · Score: 1

      Maybe everyone except me already knew this, but my coworker explained it to me yesterday:

      There's a sliding scale for theater openings that looks something like this (dates and percents are depend on the particular movie):

      The first three days after a movie is released, the studio (not the theater) gets 100% of ticket sales. If it weren't for those marked-up concessions, the theater would be operating at a loss to show the movie.
      The next five days, the studio gets 80% of the ticket sales.
      The next two weeks, the studio gets 60% of the ticket sales.
      After that, the studio gets 40% of the ticket sales.
      Etc., etc.

      Apparently, when the Star Wars sequels (I know, I know) came out, the studio got all of the take from the tickets for the first solid week.

    12. Re:What the fuck by Bill_the_Engineer · · Score: 1

      Slashdot didn't pick the submission because you would read the article. Slashdot picked the submission because it would attract a lot of comments.

      --
      These comments are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of my employer or colleagues...
    13. Re:What the fuck by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Exactly.

      To know that coding is a super power you just have to do a fucking Google Search.

      Google is literally the world's all-knowing wise sage, accessible to all.

      All the world's public knowledge at your fingertips, instantly.

      If that's not a superpower, what else is?

      and didn't we all know this?

  11. Does that mean Batman has superpowers after all? by genner · · Score: 1

    I feel so lied to. No wonder he could beat up Superman.

  12. Superpower by Translation+Error · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It was threats of violence that canceled the movie. Saying coding had anything to do with it is like saying you should be able to patent something that people have been doing for ages, because your implementation is 'on the internet'.

    --
    When someone says, "Any fool can see ..." they're usually exactly right.
    1. Re:Superpower by Lunix+Nutcase · · Score: 1

      How dare you! Posting to pastebin is coding!!!

  13. So...use your computer skills for...censorship? by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 1

    So this is a call for what - people to use their computer skills to censor viewpoints they don't agree with?

  14. It wasn't the hacking that shut the movie down by NotDrWho · · Score: 4, Interesting

    ...it was the legal liability incurred by Sony after the "hackers" threatened actual physical attacks on movie theaters. Sony simply couldn't afford the legal and financial risk that even one theater might be bombed or attacked. The hacking part of it had no bearing on that.

    --
    SJW's don't eliminate discrimination. They just expropriate it for themselves.
    1. Re:It wasn't the hacking that shut the movie down by phantomfive · · Score: 1

      How would Sony be liable for that? Do they have some kind of responsibility to secure the theaters they do not own?

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    2. Re:It wasn't the hacking that shut the movie down by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      They probably wouldn't be, but it'd take years in the courts after being sued by people even remotely related to those who were injured/killed in a scenario unlikely to occur except by someone wanting to use it as cover. It would also be an issue having it in the public consciousness that sony 'knew' of a threat and did nothing be in the news due to the previously mentioned court dates and appeal dates etc.

    3. Re:It wasn't the hacking that shut the movie down by sholden · · Score: 1

      Some movie theaters backed down not Sony.

      Sony of course then cancelled the release - they're pretty dumb but even they can work out that releasing your movie with a bunch of the large chains not showing it is a sure fire way to bomb at the box office. The reason for those chains not showing the movie is irrelevant to that decision.

    4. Re:It wasn't the hacking that shut the movie down by TimboJones · · Score: 1

      I don't believe that Sony would have considered it a credible threat if they had not just experienced an enormous server hack.

    5. Re:It wasn't the hacking that shut the movie down by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh nonsense. This is what terrorism insurance is for. And remember, you, as a taxpayer, subsidize the federal terrorism insurance guarantee program. I hadn't read about that until this week, when I read the article about funding for that needing to be done in the US budget, or the Superbowl wouldn't run. Aren't you glad you help pay for the superbowl to be run?

    6. Re:It wasn't the hacking that shut the movie down by stoatwblr · · Score: 1

      The movie would have bombed financially. Pulling it and blaming the attackers was an easy way out.

  15. So, let me get this straight: by Hartree · · Score: 3, Interesting

    By this thinking, wouldn't threatening to plant a bomb would be a superpower?

    1. Re:So, let me get this straight: by Lunix+Nutcase · · Score: 2

      And posting to pastebin is now "coding" apparently.

    2. Re:So, let me get this straight: by Mr+D+from+63 · · Score: 1

      Farming is the daddy of all superpowers.

    3. Re:So, let me get this straight: by MachineShedFred · · Score: 1

      Only if the threat is on Pastebin.

      --
      Slashdot still doesnâ(TM)t support Unicode after it was added to the HTML standard in 1997.
    4. Re:So, let me get this straight: by wisnoskij · · Score: 1

      Captain Uncredible!

      --
      Troll is not a replacement for I disagree.
  16. Brazil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If you want to understand why you cannot watch "The Interview"',
    watch the 1985 classic "Brazil" by Terry Gilliam.

    1. Re:Brazil by MachineShedFred · · Score: 1

      Even if Sony released it to 100,000 screens I still wouldn't watch it, because it's likely to just be a bad movie that I don't want to pay $12 to see.

      --
      Slashdot still doesnâ(TM)t support Unicode after it was added to the HTML standard in 1997.
  17. Re:Screw them by kheldan · · Score: 2

    They could take the loss on it and release it to the general public via bittorrent, more or less guaranteeing that it gets as widely distributed as possible.

    --
    Are YOU using the TOOL, or is the TOOL using YOU? Think about it!
  18. Mastrubation is a superpower! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It transmogrified my sock into a pipe!

  19. Re:Screw them by Lunix+Nutcase · · Score: 3, Funny

    Have pigs sprouted wings and started flying in your universe?

  20. Re:Does that mean Batman has superpowers after all by Eosi · · Score: 1
    Dude, he was able to beat up Superman because he had brains. Superman was like the lifter on the beach, always showing off.

    That and Batman had that Kyptonight ring....

    LOL

  21. Re:Screw them by DarkOx · · Score: 2

    And that isn't really an option either. Sony lost lots of HR and other PII data. If you work at Sony pictures there is a good chance the "GOP" knows where you live.

    If Sony releases it at all and there any attack on its own employees they might also open themselves up to lawsuits for negligence. To say nothing of the fact that they might loose their best talent due to people being afraid working their makes them a target.

    --
    Repeal the 17th Amendment TODAY! Also Please Read http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html
  22. Re:Screw them by kheldan · · Score: 2

    Why the hell shouldn't they in this case? As others have said no theatre is going to carry it for fear of being attacked, and releasing it to the public anyway would send a clear message that they/we aren't going to be bullied. They and everyone involved with the movie would be regarded as heroes.

    --
    Are YOU using the TOOL, or is the TOOL using YOU? Think about it!
  23. Define "Good" by s.petry · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Telling people to use coding for "good" is a very subjective matter. Exposing corruption is a "good" thing, and when law enforcement and Government agencies ignore corruption or become complicit in the corruption, dumping this information to the public is one of few viable options.

    Reading the summary (nope, I refused to follow these links) indicates that "good" from their perspective is maintaining the status quo and allowing the corruption to continue unchecked.

    --

    -The wise argue that there are few absolutes, the fool argues that there are no probabilities.

    1. Re:Define "Good" by dbc · · Score: 1

      Roger Moore, Roger Moore,
      Riding through the land, ....

  24. Re:Screw them by kheldan · · Score: 1

    Well gee whiz then mister, they (and the U.S.) may as well just pack up and go home, sobbing, because the BIG BAD HACKERS beat us up, and now we're everybody's bitch. Great idea.

    --
    Are YOU using the TOOL, or is the TOOL using YOU? Think about it!
  25. Terrorist threat is only an excuse by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ... What made them drop the movie was a terrorist threat that spoked a bunch of bean counters ...

    If only the whole thing is so clear cut

    Did the United States of America ever shut down the entire electricity grid just because some nutcase wanna carry out a "terrorist attack" on one of the transmission system?

    This episode of "theater shut down" looks more and more like a coordinated effort, with a not-so-hidden agenda, and the agenda being TPTB using the excuse of the threat of terrorism to exert more control over the people

    1. Re:Terrorist threat is only an excuse by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      >and the agenda being TPTB using the excuse of the threat of terrorism to exert more control over the people

      Time for your meds. Do the nurses know you're loose on the Internet?

  26. Re:Screw them by Lunix+Nutcase · · Score: 2

    Are you new to planet earth and the way the movie companies work?

  27. Huh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Why do we really think there really were hackers?? Perhaps the movie was so bad, Sony dreamed up the hacker angle to drum up interest in their movie. They are getting all this free publicity, for the cost of releasing a couple terabytes of junk on the internet. NK is playing along because it makes them look good and allows them to move focus away from their real problems.

  28. State sponsored hack= state terrorism/act of war by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Informative

    State sponsored hacks are indeed state acts of terrorism and/or act of war. KJU and his followers are cowards who can only do any damage indirectly by way of the internet.

    I invite the coward, known to the world as KJU, to visit us in our great country of the United States. I for one do not recognize any sort of diplomatic immunity to take precedence over my natural right to self-preservation and my constitutional right to arm myself. I will do everyone a favor and will promptly head shot that pudgy, little, bastard with my Israeli made, .50 cal, muzzle braked, Desert Eagle. The video will be promptly posted on video sites the world over.

  29. Publicity stunt by meta-monkey · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It looked like a middling movie, but now it's the most talked about picture of the year. I bet they'll clean up on DVD sales.

    And superpowers? You act like breaking into somebody's computers, copying their private shit, then making bomb threats is something inspiring? No. It's not. It's criminal.

    I am a little conflicted. I still can't say "good job" to people who break into somebody else's computers. Despite Sony trying to break into millions of computers. Sony is one of the most evil corporations on the planet. So it's kind of like get incensed that Sauron's ring got stolen and melted. I mean, it was his ring.

    I'll channel Gene Wilder from Willy Wonka, in the scene where Violet Beauregarde is going to eat the gum that turns her into a blueberry and he mutters quietly to no one in particular, "No. Stop. Don't."

    --
    We don't have a state-run media we have a media-run state.
    1. Re:Publicity stunt by Fnord666 · · Score: 2

      It looked like a middling movie, but now it's the most talked about picture of the year. I bet they'll clean up on DVD sales.

      Except that Sony has claimed they will not distribute it in any form.

      --
      'The tyrant will always find pretext for his tyranny.' - Aesop's Fables
    2. Re:Publicity stunt by Minwee · · Score: 0

      Except that Sony has claimed they will not distribute it in any form.

      Kind of like how Disney refuses to distribute films once they have been placed in the "Vault".

    3. Re:Publicity stunt by danlip · · Score: 1

      my prediction: in two weeks they'll announce that they've changed their mind, supposedly under pressure from the people advocating for freedom of artistic expression, but really because it's a publicity stunt to drive up sales. There may even be a theatrical release. If they had released it in December they would have had a flop on their hands, because it's a bad movie (one reviewer said it was "about as funny as a communist food shortage, and just as protracted") and it would be competing with the other Christmas movies. Add the controversy and a January release and they may just make money off it.

    4. Re:Publicity stunt by meta-monkey · · Score: 1

      That's how the publicity stunt works. People all over the internet are screaming about how awful and terrible this is. Fucking John McCain has commented on how Sony shouldn't cow and respond to these threats. Right? US senators are urging Sony to release their movie.

      Give it a week, and after some soul* searching, chats with their spiritual advisor, support from their friends and family, and a big-girl cry, Sony will release their movie to thunderous applause and ticket sales.

      * lololololololol implying anyone at Sony has a soul. I kill me!

      --
      We don't have a state-run media we have a media-run state.
    5. Re:Publicity stunt by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      A long a fruitless search is still a legitimate search even if you can't find the soul you're looking for.

    6. Re:Publicity stunt by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sony is one of the most evil corporations on the planet.

      I know everyone here on /. loves to bash Sony, but this is all about Sony Pictures. Other than being financially owned by Sony as a parent company these people are in no way connected to any of the things Sony Electronics has done in the past to raise your ire.

      Did Skype become just as bad as MS when they were bought out? Would it make a difference if they were renamed to Microsoft Skype? It's not like they were responsible for MS's previous business practices. I suppose Chrysler is an Italian car manufacturer now and Volvo's are just Chinese crap cars. You don't need to give a pass to Sony Pictures, but let's not get so crazy just because they are owned by Sony.

    7. Re:Publicity stunt by frank_adrian314159 · · Score: 1

      You assume publicity could actually get someone to watch a Seth Rogan movie. Publicity could get folks to do some things, but not something that horrible.

      --
      That is all.
    8. Re:Publicity stunt by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If they don't release it in any form they'll be able to clean up on the insurance money for it.

    9. Re:Publicity stunt by meta-monkey · · Score: 1

      Skype is bad because it's backdoored for the NSA.

      --
      We don't have a state-run media we have a media-run state.
  30. Re:Screw them by DarkOx · · Score: 1

    Yea Sony might as well pack up and go home until this thing is resolved. There isn't a lot they can do.

    The U.S. on the other hand should recognize this for what it is. An act of war. Once the possibility of real physical violence and attacks were introduced it was no longer an attack on Sony Pictures but on society as a whole.

    Its time for Government to step up and actually do one of the very few things its actually charged with doing, provide for the common defense! We now have a situation where a foreign actor is assaulting our citizens (putting in fear) and by extension infringing their rights of free expression.

    What concerns me is that 0bama is figuring out a "proportional response" you don't "proportionally" respond to an act of war. This situation calls for a very disproportionate response.

    We should do something like smart bomb Kim's palace. It would minimally impact the innocent citizens of the DPRK while sending the message acts of aggression will not be tolerated and will be met with swift and brutal reprisal against YOU, not your nation, not your people YOU. That is something a despot can understand and might actually fear. If we really luck he dies in the attack.

    The Chinese need to be TOLD to just sit tight, lest they be considered conspirators in this attack against us.

    --
    Repeal the 17th Amendment TODAY! Also Please Read http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html
  31. Buggy-whip maker by hessian · · Score: 1

    We're in a temporary bubble as society adjusts to technology. This, too, will end.

  32. It wasn't the hacking that shut the movie down by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How the fuck would Sony be liable for terrorist attacks?

  33. national security of communications.... err by penandpaper · · Score: 2

    If only there was a government agency that could secure American communications by ensuring encryption was secure. They could help find and track zero day exploits and notify the company's of said exploits to get them resolved. They could work with industry to help promote secure communications and identify weaknesses. It would be like an agency to promote national secur... Oh, wait...

    1. Re:national security of communications.... err by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Agree. It must be really hard to block all IP connections to/from NK. Maybe some hacker teen can come up with an idea of how to do this since the NSA can't.

    2. Re:national security of communications.... err by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      NSA won't and actively does the opposite.

      FTFY

  34. Re:Screw them by nucrash · · Score: 1

    Push the movie to the digital streaming platforms. Netflix, Apple, Amazon, Hulu, and others could monetize the hell out of the movie. While that won't gain the money of a theatrical release, at least they will get some of the costs back.

    Being that Sony is Japanese and has had a few issues with North Korea in the past, I can understand their country being a bit apprehensive about the release though.

    --
    Place something witty here
  35. Re:Screw them by DocSavage64109 · · Score: 1

    It's easy to be brave when you have nothing to lose. I don't blame Sony employees for not wanting to be targeted.

  36. This story makes no sense by Attila+Dimedici · · Score: 1

    The actions of all of the major players in this story make no sense based on the known facts. The threat by the hackers to cause a 9/11 style attack if the film was released had no credible support (at least known to me). I know lawyers are risk adverse, but it is hard for me to imagine how Sony could legitimately be a target of lawsuits if the attack actually happened (not that such suits would not be filed, merely that Sony should be able to easily get them all bundled into a few cases and dismissed).
    The conspiracy theories which have been created to explain it fail to do so. The motivation they ascribe to those making the hard to explain actions are believable, but it is hard to believe that the actions taken would have the desired results.

    --
    The truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted. James Madison
    1. Re:This story makes no sense by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What do the words "Hollywood accounting" mean to you?

      Sony execs have been explicitly ordering monumentally illegal amounts of tax evasion and the like. The hackers have enough information to throw them in jail. They've also been communicating over a private channel for some time: when the initial pastebins went up, they quite forcefully demanded Sony pay their demands, which were unspecified (they didn't become "shutdown the movie" until the media widely pointed their fingers at North Korea...). The hackers would be willing to put on this horse-and-pony show in order for Sony to give them what they actually wanted (whether they actually were a state-supported group that wanted the movie pulled, or they just got a big wad of sweet, sweet untaxed money).

  37. Coding != Cracking by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Clickbait nitwits.

    1. Re:Coding != Cracking by spads · · Score: 1

      True, and

      Hacking != Carcking,

      but does that imply Hacking == Coding ??

      A: NOOOO!!!!!!!! (though this is in fact true!)

      --
      Bukowski said it. I believe it. That settles it.
    2. Re:Coding != Cracking by Minwee · · Score: 1

      Hacking != Carcking,

      I think I'm going to need a car analogy in order to understand this. Or maybe something about Elvis.

  38. Nononono you don't understand! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It was them bogeymen in them thar intarwebz! It's true! I saw it with my very own eyes, in every news release and opinion piece where "experts" told us about them "hackers". Evil people, pure evil!

    In other news, this sort of crap is what makes calling yourself a "hacker" lose your fourth amendment rights. It's tantamount to indicting yourself before the judge in person. Thanks a bunch, security ("white hat" industry and otherwise) s'kiddies and other clueless nitwits, like (tech and otherwise) "journalists". "Hacker" nor "hacking" mean anything any longer so either can mean everything, just like how smurfs smurf so well, smurfily so. Only it doesn't work out happily ever after in the real world.

    Thus, the use of "hacking" as in "anything you'd like it to mean", usually "anything the speaker doesn't really understand but involves computers somehow, probably" is Best Current Industry Practice, and therefore equating "hacker" with "(cyber)terrorist" is correct contemporary usage, including allusions to "superpowers". It's a good solid political move, too, since superpowers obviously must be super-regulated, naturally. Doubpleplus moreso cybersuperpowers. Expect new law proposals in 3...2...1....

  39. I have a SUPERPOWER! by jeffb+(2.718) · · Score: 1

    I can throw a rock through someone's window, climb into their house, get a bunch of their personal info, and publicize it. SUPERPOWER!

    I can put a tap on their phone line at the demarc box, record everything from their landline until they notice the intrusion, and publish it all. SUPERPOWER!

    I can dig through their garbage for carelessly-discarded confidential papers. Heck, I can just count their beer and wine bottles, and publicize that. SUPERPOWER!

    Maybe not the lamest claim ever, but it'll do for today.

  40. Eight links? by EdwardFurlong · · Score: 1

    Links are half the summary.

    1. Re:Eight links? by ArcadeMan · · Score: 1

      That's how the Web used to work. Now half the content is ads, another half is links to sponsored products, another half is nudity and pornography and the last half is written by people who can't do math.

  41. Re:Screw them by jbmartin6 · · Score: 1

    There were a good number of theaters that were willing to air the film, as evidenced by the chains that were going to air 'Team America' until it was pulled by the movie company.

    --
    This posting is provided 'AS IS' without warranty of any kind, implied or otherwise.
  42. Is a lame Seth Rogen flick worth dying for? by Latent+Heat · · Score: 2, Insightful
    My question is whether a Hollywood B movie is a cause worth anyone -- our military and diplomatic people, civilians movie goers -- risking their lives?

    I am not saying I have an answer for that.

    This is not a First Amendment question because in this case a corporation that regards themselves in the business of entertaining people has decided that they don't want to risk releasing this movie right now. Yes, they are caving to a threat, but the movie is their property under Copyright to do what they choose, and they choose to not show the movie as of now. They could have just shown the movie, shown the movie but put metal detectors and guards up around the theatres, or maybe even demanded protection from the threat by the government.

    There is a broader embrace of free expression in our society going beyond the First Amendment, and caving against the threat undermines free expression. But there is no law against giving in to blackmail -- there are only laws against taking justice into your own hands in acting against a blackmailer. We only wish, sometimes, that the Westboro Church, the book-burning Florida cleric, and the Egyptian movie-making dude would give in, and this wishing out loud by Administration officials gets pushback regarding First Amendment concerns, but there would be no wrong if those people had caved in light of the threats facing their free expression.

    So (if presumably it was North Korea) threatened violence within our borders, they haven't violated any law because they are not under US law. On the other hand, such a threat could be construed as an act of war, submitting to such a threat diminishes our honor to the extent that free expression is one of our cherished values, and nations have gone to war over questions of honor -- many times. In other words, to cave humiliates us as a nation in our own eyes, which by definition, is a matter of honor.

    Do we want to fight back for our national honor? Does honor, or the principles of honor in this dispute with North Korea rise to the level of risking lives in a war? I am not saying there is a simple answer, but when people say that going to war over "honor" is competely stupid, this example should come to mind. That North Korea effectively has veto power over what is shown for movies in US theatres is a question of honor (we will attack you if you show this movie) -- no one has died (yet), but do we want to live this way? But on the other hand, is a dumb Seth Rogen pic a cause worth dying for?

    1. Re:Is a lame Seth Rogen flick worth dying for? by c · · Score: 4, Interesting

      My question is whether a Hollywood B movie is a cause worth anyone -- our military and diplomatic people, civilians movie goers -- risking their lives?

      I hate to quote celebrities, but George Clooney makes a good point:

      "With the First Amendment, you're never protecting Jefferson; it's usually protecting some guy who's burning a flag or doing something stupid."

      --
      Log in or piss off.
    2. Re:Is a lame Seth Rogen flick worth dying for? by Kjella · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The first amendment only says "Congress shall make no law..." but everybody understands you don't have much freedom of speech if you end up hanging from the nearest tree afterwards. Because the law isn't supposed to shield me from lawful retaliation like a boycott only retaliation that's already illegal you don't need a specific law for that. But everybody realizes that targeted action against those who exercise a particular freedom is trying to encroach on that freedom. Of course the government can just wash their hands and say we weren't the angry mob holding the rope, but it wouldn't be a very good government.

      Any time you refrain from a lawful action because of the risk or threat of illegal action is a failure of the system of law IMHO. If I can't walk through a part of the city at night they're failing to keep the street safe. If they can't show this movie at the cinema without the risk of terrorism they're failing to keep the country safe. At least if it's a genuine risk and not chicken little screaming that the sky is falling, I mean you can't expect them to be everywhere and prevent every crime everyone's trying to commit. And I don't want to sell out all my rights in an attempt to make it so either. There could be a price for not caving but there's a price for caving too, the terrorists don't need to take away your freedoms if your too afraid to use them anyway.

      --
      Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
    3. Re:Is a lame Seth Rogen flick worth dying for? by Jason+Levine · · Score: 2

      I wish the First Amendment was just protecting a guy burning a flag. Most times, it seems like it's protecting the Westboro Baptist Church's right to protest (and make themselves look like idiots). I hate those people (and given that I'm Jewish, support gay marriage, love science, and am fairly liberal, the feeling's probably mutual), but as much as I'd love to see them silenced for good, I know the slippery slope that would start.

      --
      My sci-fi novel, Ghost Thief, is now available from Amazon.com.
    4. Re:Is a lame Seth Rogen flick worth dying for? by SternisheFan · · Score: 1

      "That's the most important part. We cannot be told we can't see something by Kim Jong Un, of all f***ing people." - George Clooney

    5. Re: Is a lame Seth Rogen flick worth dying for? by ceoyoyo · · Score: 1

      I'm curious what the reaction in the US would be if someone made a major motion picture about the sitting American president being assassinated. Not a film about actual events, or about a fictional president, but the actual one.

      Making terrorist threats is certainly wrong, but I strongly suspect there's more than a little hypocrisy in the current "free speech, free speech!" reaction.

    6. Re:Is a lame Seth Rogen flick worth dying for? by mynamestolen · · Score: 1

      Burning flags is free speech. The hypocrisy and stupidy of this statement is risible.

      --
      work in progress
    7. Re:Is a lame Seth Rogen flick worth dying for? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Nothing in Clooney's letter mentioned the lax security at Sony.

      Nothing in Clooney's letter mentioned Sony's deploying rootkits on Americans in the past, just for listening to a Sony music CD they bought.

      Nothing in Clooney's letter suggested Sony admit their mistakes and take responsibility for their own actions, but suggested others fight for Sony. No wonder nobody was willing to sign it. Remember, he's talking about those kind folks from the MPAA who try to screw everyone over, and now he can't understand why they don't have a soul? I guess he's on a high from his recent marriage.

    8. Re:Is a lame Seth Rogen flick worth dying for? by c · · Score: 1

      Burning flags is free speech.

      You'll find that there's a lot of people who don't think it is free speech or should be. And in places that don't put a value on freedom of speech, it isn't.

      --
      Log in or piss off.
    9. Re:Is a lame Seth Rogen flick worth dying for? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I would say protesting outside a funeral would be a disturbing the peace sort of thing. Akin to using an air horn in the middle of the night outside someone's home. Would it be violating the 1st Amendment to have quit zones around cemeteries and funeral homes during certain hours?

    10. Re:Is a lame Seth Rogen flick worth dying for? by Darinbob · · Score: 1

      The quote was not against flag burning, but it seems to imply that in order to protect the important free speech you must also protect the dumb free speech.

  43. No by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It proves that sometimes you can influence people by being an humorless asshole.

  44. Re:State sponsored hack= state terrorism/act of wa by Kierthos · · Score: 3

    And yet, you post anonymously.

    --
    Mr. Hu is not a ninja.
  45. Sheesh, this is a no-brainer! by spads · · Score: 1

    White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Thursday that the Obama Administration is viewing the Sony attack as a "serious national security matter" and is considering a range of possible options as a response, which could turn things into a contest of U.S. Superpower vs. Coding Superpower.

    NUKE THEM BACK INTO THE STONE AGE!!!!! :D

    --
    Bukowski said it. I believe it. That settles it.
    1. Re:Sheesh, this is a no-brainer! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It wouldn't work. North Korea is mostly in the stone age already

  46. Re:Screw them by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    We now have a situation where a foreign actor is assaulting our citizens (putting in fear) and by extension infringing their rights of free expression.

    lol

  47. Re:State sponsored hack= state terrorism/act of wa by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    is today psycho day? Seems to be a lot of crazy going on. Can we please get back to just 'a bit irritable' and cut out the i'm a kill you u muthafucka?

  48. FBI warned theaters of possible cyberattacks by theodp · · Score: 1

    There was a cyberattack threat component, too. FBI warned theaters of possible cyberattacks over 'The Interview': The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation released a warning on Tuesday, advising theaters and other businesses associated with Sony Corp's Hollywood studio's film "The Interview" that they could be targeted in cyberattacks. The private document, which was obtained by Reuters, said that "anyone associated with the production, distribution and promotion" of the film "could possibly become the target of cyberattacks."

  49. Oriental hacking and a new world order by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Just leaving this here:
    http://www.amazon.com/The-Celestial-Instructi0n-Grady-Ward-ebook/dp/B007A80V18

  50. Re: State sponsored hack= state terrorism/act of w by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Funniest thing I read on the 'net today.

  51. multi-national corporations are mini-countries? by peter303 · · Score: 1

    Large corporations have the revenues, population, and political strength of a small country. Countries may be starting to treat them like other countries, e.g. make treaties, or go to war with them. Examples North Korea versus Sony; Europe versus Google.

    There have been movies about this, such as Blad Runner and Roller Ball where the world is ruled by corporations and nations are shadows.

  52. Being an asshole and not caring that you are one. by RevWaldo · · Score: 1

    That's the superpower at work here.

    .

  53. HAHA...... programming by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Keep dreaming losers.
    Now knitting, THAT is a real superpower.

  54. Re:State sponsored hack= state terrorism/act of wa by cyberchondriac · · Score: 1

    Anyone else read KJU in their head as "K-Ju"? Its like J-Lo, or J-Law, or .. you get the idea. I kinda like it. I just hope his nudes aren't leaked as retribution.
    .

    --

    Look back up at my post, now look back down, you're on the Internet. Now look back up. I'm a signature.
  55. How much coding was involved? by istartedi · · Score: 1

    How much coding was involved? I'm not aware of the mechanics of the break-in. It could have been pure social engineering. It could have been a mole. That doesn't involve any coding. It could have been spotting a vulnerability. People who do that usually do some coding, but such attacks involve a lot of analysis of existing code as opposed to creating new code. The actual attack may require code; but it's usually not a lot. So. "Coding" as the "super-power" behind the attack? Meh.

    --
    For all intensive purposes, "whom" is no longer a word. That begs the question, "who cares"?
  56. Re:Does that mean Batman has superpowers after all by genner · · Score: 1

    Dude, he was able to beat up Superman because he had brains. Superman was like the lifter on the beach, always showing off.

    That and Batman had that Kyptonight ring....

    LOL

    Nope it was all hacking. It clearly ranks up there with super strength and speed.

  57. Re:Screw them by cyberchondriac · · Score: 1

    On paper, that might sound viable to you. But it would pretty well result in NK attacking and lashing back out at anyone they could: SK, Japan, etc..
    Chances are the theater threats were .. well, pure theater. But an actual military attack on Pyongang, hello WWIII, or at least the Korean War again.. And I'm sure the Chinese would just sit tight like good little dogs because the ol' USA told them to. The world is not that simple, do not let your emotions cloud your better judgment. K-Ju and crew (love that) will get their just desserts. I suspect we're going to hack back the fuck out of them.

    --

    Look back up at my post, now look back down, you're on the Internet. Now look back up. I'm a signature.
  58. Does no one watch movies! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hackers can make your house turn against you! Hackers can make your refrigerator jump you in the dark!

    Sony executives have started to believe their own movies. Idiots. The USA government isn't much better. All these folks are doing is giving credit to to something that can be prevented...provided the likes of Sony want to spend the money to secure their network.

  59. Re: Screw them by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Sorry you are scared but I don't want to go to war over some shit movie from some shit company.

  60. What rubbish! by mikein08 · · Score: 0

    Coding is not a superpower, as simple coding can be taught to any moron who can think semi-logically. Ask the average teenage coder to write a program to run a bank of elevators efficiently, or solve the youngest uncle problem, or solve the shortest distance problem. Or ask the average teenage coder to explain how i/o systems work. I'm betting the average "coder" has no clue about any of these things.

    1. Re:What rubbish! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Which I/O system?

  61. This just shows that hacking should be legal by rtconner · · Score: 1

    This whole episode is evidence that computer hacking should be completely legalized. If hacking was legal, some white-hat script kiddie from Nebraska would have found the security flaws in Sony's system a long time ago. The flaws would have been reported and fixed and would have been a whole lot less damaging to the country as a whole. Probably it barely would have made the news.

    Instead we have to wait around for some country who has no regard for out legal system to hack our systems and find our flaws. Now North Korea looks smart, while we all know that there are hundreds of 16 year old hackers out there who probably could have done the same thing --- if it was legal.

    Way to go lawmakers.

    --
    023AD01("Child", "Evil");
    1. Re:This just shows that hacking should be legal by Ravaldy · · Score: 1

      It's a funny way to think because you could apply that same logic to any other crime. Murder, rape and theft should all be legal too since it's for people to protect themselves... What's wrong with everybody right?

      Hacking isn't illegal as long as you don't infiltrate systems you aren't authorized to. There are firms that specialize in system break & entry and they use hackers to do it. They do this to help secure systems.

      In addition, if you read how they were hacked you would understand that it was mostly user mistakes and not system security flaws. (Although the information was obtained from a previous break in when the systems were lax)

      Fact is, if you leave you car running in front of the store and someone takes it, it's still theft and the offender will go to prison for it. This regardless of how stupid it was to leave the car running in front of the store.

  62. Tron called programming a superpower in 1982 by bugnuts · · Score: 1

    There was a scene where Bridges was coding something and said "I feel a little like Santa Claus."

    That's a superpower.

  63. Re:Screw them by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    did you take a crazy pill with your coffee this morning?

  64. Bullshit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If that's a superpower, then leveraging any machinery to do any work is a superpower. Just a man... Just one man uses his superpowers to plow the 1000 acres of a field, in a day, that before took so many... with his fucking tractor.

  65. Real world repercussions by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    And if an attacked state retaliated by killing large numbers of the perps and their fellow citizens?

  66. Yes and the US has lost its first cyberwar by rvw · · Score: 1

    The US has lost its first cyberwar to North Korea, I read in the newspaper today. I think it's utter bullshit. This is not a cyberwar between two countries. Nothing of relevance has been lost. So one major companie got hacked and they lost all their data and have to pull back a movie - how important is that? I think it is quite big, but nothing compared to war between countries. If NK could shutdown the powergrid, take over some drones and use them to attack the US Navy with just online hacking, that would come close, but this does not compare.

    1. Re:Yes and the US has lost its first cyberwar by NoGenius · · Score: 1

      Totally agree - and the article saying that coding is a super power is either ridiculous or nonsensical or both. The hype over this thing is pathetic.

    2. Re:Yes and the US has lost its first cyberwar by koan · · Score: 1

      Hyperbole is an effective technique for programming cattle, now comes the synchronized MSM assault.

      --
      "If any question why we died, Tell them because our fathers lied."
    3. Re:Yes and the US has lost its first cyberwar by Ravaldy · · Score: 1

      Yeah. I don't think they meant to say that because it's not the coding, it's the information that brings power.

  67. NKDenizens will release the criminal stuff by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hello SoniMovie, This is lil' Kim. We released some of your more mild data which we found on your wide open for public viewing network. Release "The Interview" and my NKDenizens will release the criminal stuff they found on your wide open for public viewing network. Thank you and have a nice day.

  68. Re:State sponsored hack= state terrorism/act of wa by steppin_razor_LA · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Just because some vague articles and politicos point the finger at North Korea doesn't mean that it's true. I'm not making any assertions about the truth at this point, but we should be careful before jumping to (potentially violent) conclusions based on hearsay.

    http://www.wired.com/2014/12/e...

    "But in their initial public statement, whoever hacked Sony made no mention of North Korea or the film. And in an email sent to Sony by the hackers, found in documents they leaked, there is also no mention of North Korea or the film. The email was sent to Sony executives on Nov. 21, a few days before the hack went public. Addressed to Sony Pictures CEO Michael Lynton, Chairwoman Amy Pascal and other executives, it appears to be an attempt at extortion, not an expression of political outrage or a threat of war."

    --
    Evolution: love it or leave it
  69. And there it is folks by koan · · Score: 1

    White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Thursday that the Obama Administration is viewing the Sony attack as a "serious national security matter" and is considering a range of possible options as a response

    Just as I predicted: http://slashdot.org/comments.p...

    --
    "If any question why we died, Tell them because our fathers lied."
  70. I did read it as K-Ju by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Then assumed he was a Korean-Jewish Rapper rapping against Christmas :)

  71. No, basement dwellers by Applehu+Akbar · · Score: 1

    Hacking, and the reaction to it from our Democrat elites, proves that North Korea is a superpower.

  72. Re:Screw them by Holi · · Score: 1

    "The Chinese need to be TOLD to just sit tight"

    Except who's to say the Chinese weren't originally behind this. "Guardians of Peace" was a term Nixon said to China on why we were helping South Korea.

    --
    Sorry, teleporters just kill you and then make a copy. A perfect, soul-less copy.
  73. Re:Does that mean Batman has superpowers after all by Eosi · · Score: 1

    Poor Flash, sometimes super speed is not a good thing......

  74. Wow by argStyopa · · Score: 2

    This is the stupidest conclusion I've seen in 2014 and I've had the US government and the WHOLE INTERNET aggressively providing strong candidates all year.

    --
    -Styopa
  75. Uh-huh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What spooked everyone was the fact that every day you read how Asians are strapping bombs to their chests to blow up stuff due to their political ideology. Wait. It is Asians who do that, right?

  76. Re:Screw them by Jason+Levine · · Score: 1

    They won't because they aren't releasing it now, but likely will wait for the threats to die down before quietly releasing it in theaters. Then, they'll release it on DVD/Blu-Ray hoping everyone will want to buy the movie that North Korea threatened death if we watched. From the reports, the movie was horrible and so probably wouldn't have brought in much anyway, but releasing on BitTorrent for free means they make nothing. Holding for possible future means possible future income. Movie companies will always choose possible future money over no money now any day.

    --
    My sci-fi novel, Ghost Thief, is now available from Amazon.com.
  77. Re:Screw them by Jason+Levine · · Score: 1

    Does North Korea even have anything worthy of hacking?

    --
    My sci-fi novel, Ghost Thief, is now available from Amazon.com.
  78. Program This by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If we as human beings are supposed to believe the sermons of political correctness eminating from the Politicos, then automatically it seems quintessential that it should be the corporations and governments who should be self-censoring their words and deeds lest they upset some superpower. Clearly, calling for or even mentioning assassination of world leaders can get you removed from the party fast. Iraq being a perfect example, when Saddam Hussein threatened a certain president's daddy. I'm sure if he could, he would want to take those words back.

    Sony should have excersized some common sense, but being a commodity these days, common sense is far too valuable to just throw around loosely, I guess.

  79. With great [coding] powers by Dareth · · Score: 1

    With great [coding] powers comes great responsibility, to earn a huge profit for your labor.

    --

    I only look human.
    My mother is a halfling and my dad is an ogre, so that makes me an Ogreling
  80. Again, where is the NSA by sjames · · Score: 1

    Just what is the NSA up to here? Shouldn't they be busy heading off exactly this sort of thing? So what's their part of this action? That's right, they're busy facilitating the terrorists by weakening the security that could prevent this crap from happening so they can do the things they are never ever supposed to do. Screw protecting the country, they have law abiding citizens to spy on!

  81. Re:Does that mean Batman has superpowers after all by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Last night the 5yo asked "Dad, what's batman's superpower again?" I replied, a bit curtly "Money." The wife gave me a look because she thought that sounded wrong but couldn't argue about it.

  82. finally, we've hit the Neuromancer Age by l0n3s0m3phr34k · · Score: 1

    so is this when we deploy our "Kuang Grade Mark Eleven penetration program"? Maybe Sony should deploy some low-flying ultralights to penetrate NK's cyberdome and hack them back...

  83. Don't be so naive by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This entire show going to have one result, justified damage being inflicted on North Korea, sure they did it, but they are fools for being provoked into doing so.

    It isn't about computers or programming, it is about game play, global Igo.

  84. Re:Huh?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So, the best we can hope for in a worst case scenario is that we go out with a heart-warming JOE E. BROWN grin on our face, our head hanging in some terrorist's hand with warts and smegma under his effeminately untrimmed fingernails while he's shouting how great his god is? Insouciantly, all we are thinking is how great it would have been if we could have just flossed for that final video money shot.

    Is that even do-able?

  85. Why is Sony withholding the film? by jonwil · · Score: 1

    Ok so the largest theater chains wont show the film (not just because of the threats of physical attack but because of the threats of cyber attack by the same hackers that attacked Sony).

    And it doesn't make sense to do a full theatrical release if the biggest chains in the US wont show it (because of all the costs involved with doing a theatrical release like marketing and advertising).

    So why doesn't Sony just release it to every digital download store that will take it? (and any increased risk of cyber attack that might come from distributing the film) It wouldn't be the first time that a film originally slated for theatrical release ended up being switched to a direct-to-video release instead.

    Are there legal issues in going direct-to-video? (e.g. contracts with the production team) Could Sony have been asked by the government not to go direct-to-video at this point? Are they still considering a theatrical release of some kind at some point in the future? Or are Sony scared that releasing the film in this way will result in further damage? (i.e. the hackers releasing information they copied in the Sony hack and haven't yet released but which, if released, will be even more damaging to Sony than what's released so far)

  86. EVERYWHERE gets bomb threats by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Almost every shopping mall gets bomb threats and most of them are ignored.

  87. what crap by confused+one · · Score: 1

    I don't believe the premise at all...

    However, if coding is a super power; then, by my greying beard, I am a GOD!

  88. Re:Screw them by kheldan · · Score: 1

    Responding to this incident with a physical attack of any kind on North Korea or it's interests

    Think about what you're saying in these terms: These North Korean hackers, even if sponsored by the North Korean government (which I'll actually believe) are deliberately provoking us, hoping we'll respond with some sort of physical attack. If we (the U.S.) were stupid enough to do that, these 'GoP' fucks would just sit back and say LOL I TROL U, Y U SO MAD? while the North Korean government would cry foul to the rest of the world (we're a tiny little country being bullied by the Big Bad United States again, pity us, pity us!).. and they'd be right. Also remember that the U.S. doesn't have such a great reputation out in the world anymore, frankly we've been assholes way too much and that'll take a long time to fix.

    On the other hand, here's the 'proportional response' we should take: Hack the living fuck out of everything and anything we can get at in North Korea, then when they get all butthurt over it, throw up our hands and claim to know nothing about it (kharma, bitches!).

    By the way I stand by what I originally said: Sony should release the movie anyway. There is literally no point in cowering in fear over any of these 'threats' they're making of terrorist action (which is what it amounts to) because they could do whatever anyway, and if they're really capable of carrying out their threats then what could be done to stop it anyway? Being cowards about it just empowers and emboldens the little shits.

    --
    Are YOU using the TOOL, or is the TOOL using YOU? Think about it!
  89. Coding is not a superpower by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I don't like the claim that coding is a superpower; Superman, Spiderman, or just about any of your favorite superheroes never really worked or earned it, which makes the comparison unfair.
    Instead you should compare coding to wizardry, where truly amazing power comes from a lifetime of practicing the art, delving into arcane tomes, learning from other wizards, etc.

  90. Re: State sponsored hack= state terrorism/act of w by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Misdirection?

  91. Re: State sponsored hack= state terrorism/act of w by Lisias · · Score: 1

    Redirection.

    This attack, no matter who did, it's an excellent material to be used against whatever USA needs at the moment.

    --
    Lisias@Earth.SolarSystem.OrionArm.MilkyWay.Local.Virgo.Universe.org