No, it doesn't run without an operating system, but,
It runs on Linux, which is free. It runs on FreeBSD (I think), which is free. It runs on basically any *nix, most of which are free. It runs on SkyOS, which is free. It runs on MacOS and Unix, which are not free but at least you have choice.
But it is not trivial to frame someone for other crimes. Seriously, how hard is it to set up an SMTP server and start forging emails? If it were this easy to frame people for every crime, the justice system would not exist, because anyone who just plain didn't like you could get you thrown in jail.
I think that "cyberlibel" punishments are wrong for one very simple reason: It is exceptionally easy to frame someone. I could easily send you an email with a return address of Bill Clinton. It's as easy to forge as the return address on regular mail. If someone claiming to be me went and slandered a bunch of people, should I be punished? Absolutely not. That is why this sort of thing should not be allowed until we have a reliable method for tracing emails (which we almost certainly never will.)
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No, it doesn't run without an operating system, but,
It runs on Linux, which is free.
It runs on FreeBSD (I think), which is free.
It runs on basically any *nix, most of which are free.
It runs on SkyOS, which is free.
It runs on MacOS and Unix, which are not free but at least you have choice.
But it is not trivial to frame someone for other crimes. Seriously, how hard is it to set up an SMTP server and start forging emails? If it were this easy to frame people for every crime, the justice system would not exist, because anyone who just plain didn't like you could get you thrown in jail.
I agree. That is why I am not specifically talking about this case. I am referring to the general situation.
I think that "cyberlibel" punishments are wrong for one very simple reason:
It is exceptionally easy to frame someone. I could easily send you an email with a return address of Bill Clinton. It's as easy to forge as the return address on regular mail. If someone claiming to be me went and slandered a bunch of people, should I be punished? Absolutely not. That is why this sort of thing should not be allowed until we have a reliable method for tracing emails (which we almost certainly never will.)