Chip Off the Ol' Block

[from Wired]

A 17-year-old kid arrested for hacking into ATMs on Long Island turns out to be the son of IBM's director of client security, reports the New York Post. Loren Anderson is the alleged brains behind an identity-theft operation that resulted in about $100,000 being stolen. Although Loren's father, Clain, declined comment, one computer-hacking expert said it was likely the boy had "top-of-the-line equipment to learn on" at home because of his father's position. The problem, said Dan Verton, is that kids are becoming computer experts without learning anything about the ethical issues attached to the technology.

11:07:52 PM     comment []

This looks like an interesting new forum for discussion of copyright and patent issues.

The Copyright Colloquium
11:02:38 PM     comment []

Computer scientists petition White House [CNET News.com]

I think I agree with this petition (at least in part) - the proposed rules stifle research and probably do more harm than good, as the MIT study concluded:

"We believe that the restrictions of the free flow of research results, as well as control of individual access, would negatively impact national security by hampering the progress of science."

I would make an exception for civil engineering stuff, especially as it related to infrastructure (chemical and nuclear plant designs, etc.). Publishing these types of things openly will probably retard research as well, but it would also open the door for far more immediate and catastrophic damage... tough call.
1:55:14 PM     comment []