Re: [NTLK] Hacked WiFi driver

~~~ On 2007/01/07 12:13, Roman Pixell [GMail] at roman.pixell@gmail.com
wrote ~~~

> i do not always see this argument as valid, certainly not
> when it comes to abandonware.
>
> also, i seriously doubt the releasing of certain abndonware titles
> for the NOS would taint the reputation of the community. this has
> always, and will always happen with abandoned platforms. see it as
> helplessly lost in the middle of nowhere and finally settling in an
> abandoned house. as long as you show respect and intend to compensate
> its original owners of the house on demand, i would not denote this
> behaviour immoral. yes, it might be *criminal*, but who will enforce?
> laws are simply meaningless without enforcement power and thats what
> labelling actions as "criminal" is all about. personal moral and the
> community spirit is what decides in the final end. my opinion is that
> releasing this software code fits within the community spirit, at
> least i find it very likely that the majority of its members also
> thinks so.

I fear that in our rush to find a "reason" to hack this software, we're
forgetting a central point that applies. Hiroshi *owns* the driver. That's
not really just a conditional thing based on whether we agree with how he
uses it. We don't have a right to decide if we "approve" of how he
exercises ownership, do we? It's not really just a legal thing that may or
may not be enforceable either. The man wrote something -- brought something
into being -- like someone writing poetry or a novel or making a painting or
sculpture. The law is just a reflection of the common sense most of us have
to recognize that the creator or inventor of anything has a right to do with
it as he pleases, whether we agree or not (barring only criminal behaviour
of course). AFAICS, that means he has a right to distribute it *or not*, or
to change his mind, like any author or inventory or creator of anything
else.

I'd hate to see the Newton community turn into a place where we each start
saying, "if it's right for me it's right". It seems to me the only thing
that's kept the Newton viable for so long is that this community is made up
of people who serve each other. Speaking for myself, I know that I can
trust most of you people to deal fairly with me even when my comparative
ignorance makes me vulnerable to being taken advantage of. That doesn't
mean I'm careless or don't keep trying to learn, but for the most part I
reckon that folks here are more likely to tell me when I'm wrong than look
for ways to rip me off because I'm a Newt-newb. That's more valuable to me
as a person, but also I think it's more valuable to the community.

Even supposing we decide Hiroshi is violating the community spirit, that
doesn't mean we have the right also to violate it, does it? If we do that,
what do we become? It would seem more accurate to think of him as having
left the community. That's also his right, isn't it?

Once we start talking about claiming the right to seize control of other
people's creations "for the greater good" or whatever other excuse we come
up with, we'll have taken a long step down a slippery slope to becoming just
another cut-throat tribe.

I know this doesn't leave us any easy way to do what we want to do -- have
this WiFi driver at our disposal -- but is that the most important thing
about us?
 
Shalom.
Christian

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

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            -- in appreciation of Arthur C. Clarke

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(With thanks to Chod Lang)

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