Re: More ethics...

Subject: Re: More ethics...
From: Mike Stockman <stockman -at- jagunet -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Sat, 18 Aug 2001 07:50:38 -0400

On 08/17/2001 9:43 PM, Andrew Plato (intrepid_es -at- yahoo -dot- com) wrote:

>The mere act of exposing flaws is not illegal - its the exposing of how to
>use those flaws to commit illegal acts that is illegal.

Of course I can see the glaring difference between the two examples, and
you're right in both cases (sell gun to normal guy with no hint of
wrongful plans, no jail, but sell gun to guy who announces wrongful
plans, go to jail). But the third scenario, where you sell a guy a gun
who announces loudly that he'll use it only to shoot guys breaking into
his home and for target practice, is closer to the Skylarov/Adobe
situation. His company makes a product that has legitimate, legal uses,
and that's what they trumpet to the world. If someone then uses it for
naughty purposes, put that someone in jail.

>You just proved my point.
>
>Technology is neither evil nor good. It just is. If people use technology
>to commit illegal acts (aiding and abetting criminals is illegal), then
>those people must be punished. If you manipulate a technology in such a
>way that it can freely allow people to violate copyright laws, then you
>are aiding and abetting criminals.

But here, you contradict yourself. You start out agreeing with me (use
the technology for wrong, go to jail) but then you jump to a different
conclusion (make technology that may, or may not, be used for wrong, go
to jail). You might as well say that makers of bolt cutters should go to
jail. It's not reasonable, and not just.

________________________________________________________________
stockman -at- jagunet -dot- com -- AOL and AOL Instant Messenger:MStockman



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