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The boy who stole Half Life 2 source code (2011)

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Re: The boy who stole Half Life 2 source code (2011)

#21

Post by LukeB_UK »

pekk wrote: post #17
NamTaf wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why should we not treat people who make mistakes like humans if they show genuine remose and a desire to reform, such as this guy or e.g.: Kevin Mitnick? The justice system is supposed to be (in most countries, at least) to be a method of both punishment and rehibilitation. Why not find ways to assist them in completing the latter? I don't think it's particularly farfetched to expect relatively socially ostracised te…

Why should we not start with black guys instead of making special exceptions for white kids committing "white collar" crimes? Why does the involvement of computers make some criminals better than others?

I see nothing in what NamTaf said that means we should be 'making special exceptions for white kids committing "white collar" crimes'. To me they're saying that we should treat anyone as a human if they show genuine remorse and a desire to change. This could apply to any crime committed by any race, any age and any gender.

The fact that you throw the race card down so quickly when it comes to a discussion about crime concerns me.

Re: The boy who stole Half Life 2 source code (2011)

#22

Post by vezzy-fnord »

pekk wrote: post #17
NamTaf wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why should we not treat people who make mistakes like humans if they show genuine remose and a desire to reform, such as this guy or e.g.: Kevin Mitnick? The justice system is supposed to be (in most countries, at least) to be a method of both punishment and rehibilitation. Why not find ways to assist them in completing the latter? I don't think it's particularly farfetched to expect relatively socially ostracised te…

Why should we not start with black guys instead of making special exceptions for white kids committing "white collar" crimes? Why does the involvement of computers make some criminals better than others?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallacy_of_relative_privation

"What about the people wrongfully on death row?"

Re: The boy who stole Half Life 2 source code (2011)

#23

Post by garric »

pekk wrote: post #17
NamTaf wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why should we not treat people who make mistakes like humans if they show genuine remose and a desire to reform, such as this guy or e.g.: Kevin Mitnick? The justice system is supposed to be (in most countries, at least) to be a method of both punishment and rehibilitation. Why not find ways to assist them in completing the latter? I don't think it's particularly farfetched to expect relatively socially ostracised te…

Why should we not start with black guys instead of making special exceptions for white kids committing "white collar" crimes? Why does the involvement of computers make some criminals better than others?

He's not saying that we shouldn't. But the U.S. is overwhelmingly focused on punishment, retribution, and incapacitation rather than rehabilitation. Essentially victim blaming, if you want to look at it like that. Opinion: It's going to take system-wide reform to accomplish anything meaningful.

Re: The boy who stole Half Life 2 source code (2011)

#24

Post by ArcticCelt »

staunch wrote: post #11
ahuth wrote: post #4

I'm not condoning breaking into the network and stealing source code, but what financial damage did this cause to Valve? The article repeatedly refers to financial damages, but I'm not sure how that is.

There was no financial loss. The surrounding press attention may have even helped sales. I still remember the news at the time a decade later. The real cost is the ordeal he put the people at Valve through.

I also think that Valve used him a bit as convenient scapegoat to explain why the release of the game was pushed back another year.

Re: The boy who stole Half Life 2 source code (2011)

#25

Post by jabagawee »

ahuth wrote: post #13
codexon wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well first of all, the game appeared to be playable, so there's the piracy aspect. The Source engine is also licensed to other games. If the code is public, other engines could copy their features. Also it is very annoying to re-secure all your computers after you have been breached. Every single person has to change their password and you don't know what backdoors the guy has installed without a full wipe sometimes.

Obviously they should've spent the time to secure their network before hand! Also, can't say I buy the hypothetical piracy cost. Does anyone have any examples of other engines copying Source features from the source code?

I reject the argument that Valve had it coming since they didn't take the time to secure their network beforehand. There are almost always going to be holes in the security of any system, especially digital ones (since they have a larger surface area to consider), so blaming the victim of a break-in implies that everyone should just resign themselves to being hacked sooner or later. Valve surely made at least some efforts to secure their systems, but even if they did not, that would not justify the morality/ethicality of entering their servers without permission.

Re: The boy who stole Half Life 2 source code (2011)

#26

Post by onewaystreet »

ahuth wrote: post #4

I'm not condoning breaking into the network and stealing source code, but what financial damage did this cause to Valve? The article repeatedly refers to financial damages, but I'm not sure how that is.

The game was delayed a year because of the hack.

Re: The boy who stole Half Life 2 source code (2011)

#27

Post by theatraine »

MisterMashable wrote: post #8

This was an amazing and somewhat sad story. How's Gembe doing today? Based on his near adoration of the Valve developers, it would be fitting if he worked in the gaming industry. Maybe he could set things right by helping to make Half-Life 3?

From the previously linked AmA:

"This was actually one of the interview questions, don't know why they didn't use the answer. I work as a software developer and a bit of a system administrator. I work in a company that does physical security, like fire alarms and such. Most of the work I do is programming PC control software for our systems and also quite some firmware development for various uCs. I know quite a bit of different assemblers. Measurement and automation is another field that I'm currently learning more and more."

Re: The boy who stole Half Life 2 source code (2011)

#28

Post by onewaystreet »

ahuth wrote: post #13
codexon wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well first of all, the game appeared to be playable, so there's the piracy aspect. The Source engine is also licensed to other games. If the code is public, other engines could copy their features. Also it is very annoying to re-secure all your computers after you have been breached. Every single person has to change their password and you don't know what backdoors the guy has installed without a full wipe sometimes.

Obviously they should've spent the time to secure their network before hand! Also, can't say I buy the hypothetical piracy cost. Does anyone have any examples of other engines copying Source features from the source code?

The Half-Life 2 source would have been an incredible learning tool for anyone interested in engine design at the time. That knowledge is their competitive advantage.

Re: The boy who stole Half Life 2 source code (2011)

#29

Post by Jtsummers »

pandatigox wrote: post #18
codexon wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't feel sorry for malware writers. They are not oppressed and deserve what they got. And this guy also stole people's software keys. If they were talented coders, they could've found less destructive ways to make money. But he decided to go the greedy route.

Some of the people behind bars are because they did something that was morally right but condoned by the government. While I can't argue for the guy mentioned in the article, people like Bradley Manning are wasting away their lives. Do you really don't want to help these victims?

I don't like doing this (replying without actually extending the conversation) but you've missed a word:

  morally right but not condoned by the government.
                    ^^^

Re: The boy who stole Half Life 2 source code (2011)

#30

Post by girvo »

codexon wrote: post #9
ahuth wrote: post #4

I'm not condoning breaking into the network and stealing source code, but what financial damage did this cause to Valve? The article repeatedly refers to financial damages, but I'm not sure how that is.

Well first of all, the game appeared to be playable, so there's the piracy aspect. The Source engine is also licensed to other games. If the code is public, other engines could copy their features. Also it is very annoying to re-secure all your computers after you have been breached. Every single person has to change their password and you don't know what backdoors the guy has installed without a full wipe sometimes.

Playable???? Not even close :/ It barely worked from what I can remember (I was very young at the time). It certainly made me even more excited for HL2's release though.
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