Modern inventor for the internet commits suicide

[rhorle]

He was being charged for 35 years.
Lets say a guy tapes NFL and than shows it to his buddies - that's illegal, should that guy go to jail for 35 years? Yes - because we nuke him, right?

He faced a maximum sentance of 35 years. That is the legal amount allowed for crimes of that nature. It isn't a nuke it is the law, they weren't making an example out of him. It wasn't political. It was a person breaking the law and the law being enforced which carried the potential of 35 years and /or fines. If he was such a smart person he should have known the risks and know what could possibly happen.

For people defending him you are doing him a disservice by implying he was ignorant of the Legal System, ignorant of the risk, and ignorant in general to know that not every might agree with his actions. After all this wasn't his first run in with stealing documents and legal matters. The FBI investigated him but declined to press charges for the first event.

I guess he got cocky and thought he was above the law. But as the song goes he fought the law and the law won.

[Azrile]

Anyone who uses the phrase ´freedom of information´ is an idiot with regards to this. He STOLE intellectual property that did not belong to him. It is ironic, just a few days ago there was a thread about that WOW based-themepark in China.. and everyone complained about how China steals everyone´s IP..

The other group of people who are idiots are the people who believe that MIT wasn´t pushing for this to be prosecuted behind closed doors. Yes, publicly they showed a lot of sympathy.. you know why... because of groups like Anonymous.. and their incredible power of DOSing anyone they feel deserves it.

This is no more ´freedom of information´ then if China used sweatshops to photocopy the latest Stephen King book the day it gets published. People need to get off of this ´freedom´kick and realize it is just plain old fashioned petty theft. We get it, you want your music, books and anything else that can be downloaded to be free..

And if you want to call him the inventor of the modern internet, you better add a ton of other names like Zuckerberg and Tom Anderson to that list. Their efforts have a much larger impact than RSS and reddit.

[Kivimetsan]

Al Gore died?

[Crissi]

yeah, I'd fix your title. Very misleading. How about "Important contributer" instead? Because he sure aint one fo those that invented the internet, or even has a funny meme associated like Al Gore does.

[Sumatran]

He faced a maximum sentance of 35 years. That is the legal amount allowed for crimes of that nature. It isn't a nuke it is the law, they weren't making an example out of him. It wasn't political. It was a person breaking the law and the law being enforced which carried the potential of 35 years and /or fines. If he was such a smart person he should have known the risks and know what could possibly happen.

For people defending him you are doing him a disservice by implying he was ignorant of the Legal System, ignorant of the risk, and ignorant in general to know that not every might agree with his actions. After all this wasn't his first run in with stealing documents and legal matters. The FBI investigated him but declined to press charges for the first event.

I guess he got cocky and thought he was above the law. But as the song goes he fought the law and the law won.

This has to be the most ignorant post I have ever read. I don't even know how to articulate a response.

The fact that his suicide has given the EFF a reason to reconsider the fucking CFAA laws is nothing short of amazing...

---------- Post added 2013-01-16 at 12:39 AM ----------

This guy STOLE information. He isn't a saint, nor a martyr. He is a criminal, and he got caught, and the best thing about this story is that the tax payers don't have to pay to keep this cowardly excuse of a man locked up for the next 2 or 3 decades.

He STOLE information that was funded by tax payers, to give back to the tax payers.

Im pretty sure this thread is full of fucking trolls who don't know shit beyond their parents basement door.

[rhorle]

He STOLE information that was funded by tax payers, to give back to the tax payers. Im pretty sure this thread is full of fucking trolls who don't know shit beyond their parents basement door.

Yet you are the one to call posts ignorant and insult people. You but emphasis on the word stole. Do you understand what that word means and what it implies? And what happens if you get caught stealing? Because from your post it doesn't sound like you do. He got caught stealing. Why shouldn't he pay the price? The law is the law, if he wanted to change the law he should have worked to change it.

By your logic it would be okay for me to steal an aircraft carrier and use it to ferry Tax Payers around. After all it was my money that paid for it so I should be able to do what I want with it. Which is ignorant? The one that thinks they can do anything they want with something paid for by tax dollars. Or the one that thinks it is illegal and that illegal actions have consequences.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

He STOLE information that was funded by tax payers, to give back to the tax payers.

Im pretty sure this thread is full of fucking trolls who don't know shit beyond their parents basement door.

Nice generalization that is been used to death. He still stole something. He had to face the consequences.

[Asphyxiate9]

The company of which he stole from (JSTOR) didnt want to continue after the $100,000 bail but the law agencies decided to continue for the sake of it. JSTOR even released 4.5 million articles for free not long before his death but still, the prosecution continued.

[Sumatran]

Riddle me this.

If he was just a common criminal why is the CFAA being looked at to be reworked?

[This name sucks]

Nice generalization that is been used to death. He still stole something. He had to face the consequences.

Is it really stealing if its being returned to the original funders. For everyone and not just for those in elite universities.

Think of it this way, the information he tried to liberate was highly specialized technical data and specifications, etc, etc from a collection of universities.

Do you honestly think any idiot is going to be able to use it if he doesn't understand synthetic chemistry (for example)

No! its going to go towards those who have a future and are intelligent but are suppressed by education being a fucking private business in the US.

[rhorle]

Riddle me this.

If he was just a common criminal why is the CFAA being looked at to be reworked?

So because someone is reworking policy a person shouldn't be charged for a crime? The Newtown school shootings is leading to policy being reworked does that mean that the shooter wasn't a criminal? Should be praised as a hero? The better question you should be asking is why is policy only being reworked after he killed himself and not when he was first charged? Or before that? Or when countless other people across the nation were charged with the same exact crimes?

Why are you only outraged now? Where were you before a person lost his life? I can tell you where, in not caring land.

[Tackhisis]

The company of which he stole from (JSTOR) didnt want to continue after the $100,000 bail but the law agencies decided to continue for the sake of it.

People are punished for the intent to commit a crime, not for actual damage their actions would cause. You cannot just neglect the crime because its victim does not consider it as such.

[This name sucks]

People are punished for the intent to commit a crime, not for actual damage their actions would cause. You cannot just neglect the crime because its victim does not consider it as such.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victimless_crime

[rhorle]

Is it really stealing if its being returned to the original funders. For everyone and not just for those in elite universities.

Yes it is. Stealing is stealing. It is that simple. If I stole your car and returned it to the manufacturer (the original funders) would you press charges? Would I be guilty of a crime? Just because something is being taken from one person and given to another doesn't stop it from being a crime. Your reasoning is also a little bit odd. If they only people that can use it are the people that the university makes it available to, then what purpose does sharing to anyone on the internet serve?

---------- Post added 2013-01-15 at 07:57 PM ----------

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victimless_crime

The crime he was charged with isn't listed on that page or discussed on that page. There were victims in this case just as there would be if I stole your car, your TV, or your computer. Stealing isn't victimless because in order to commit that type of crime you need a victim to steal from.

[Deleted]

Is it selfish for a man who chose death over life more selfish than those who want to keep him living a terrible life? Think about it. And keep your mouth shut about it, too.

But I will say, no, I don't sympathize either. The man sought out to make the internet free and truly world wide -- by stealing. Oh yeah, great role model. If you want something, take it by any means necessary; that's basically what he displayed.

Almost a few hundred years ago that same principle was applied to an entire country, the result was the USA.

[Ssith]

It is a tragedy, and it speaks volumes about the need for laws regarding the internet, specifically the punishments of certain things to be looked at and revised.

speaks WAY more about how copyright law needs reform.

[Destruktion]

What the smeg is the modern internet? It was invented by the British.

That's a pretty gross oversimplification. The invention of the internet was largely a joint effort between the British and the Americans.

[Zhangfei]

That's a pretty gross oversimplification. The invention of the internet was largely a joint effort between the British and the Americans.

Eh, it's the truth.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

Is it really stealing if its being returned to the original funders. For everyone and not just for those in elite universities.

Think of it this way, the information he tried to liberate was highly specialized technical data and specifications, etc, etc from a collection of universities.

Do you honestly think any idiot is going to be able to use it if he doesn't understand synthetic chemistry (for example)

No! its going to go towards those who have a future and are intelligent but are suppressed by education being a fucking private business in the US.

It is still stealing. It doesn't matter if very little people will understand it. IT DOES NOT JUSTIFY THEFT and what you are doing is making excuses for those that steal and will look at this case as en excuse. Look I'm very grateful for the Internet and all that but I wouldn't steal.

[Letmesleep]

He's better off. Clinical depression isn't something that just goes away; most will battle it to the very bitter ends of their lives and you either keep limping and die later or you do what he did. It should be noted that he hung himself which requires a huge amount of determination and cojones. That is not an easy way to go.

Edit: I have no idea about this guy's career or what he did or didn't steal. The fact that he committed suicide is far more interesting to me than anything he did with his life. I don't condone theft but I do support ending your life on your own terms.