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Use Jonathan's card to buy yourself an iPad

sam.odio.com

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Re: Use Jonathan's card to buy yourself an iPad

#201

Post by niels_olson »

true_religion wrote: post #124
niels_olson wrote: post #103

To all who want to slam on Sam Odio's moral code: You're seriously arguing that a hack that converts money into fat, caffeinated Americans and corporate profit is better than a hack that hacks that hack to feed the poor? We should be finding more ways to prevent the conversion of money into American fat. In fact: as a doctor, there's my challenge to you: please find ways to catch calories before they land in middle-c…

The agreement was that you're allowed to use the gift card at starbucks. The agreement wasn't that you can hack the pin of the giftcard, then transfer over all of the money to your own account. That's essentially stealing from the 'coffee and sandwiches' charity for your own personal reasons. Its a violation of the trust given to him by the community, and rightly puts a sour taste into many peoples mouths.

There was no agreement. Jonathan placed information in the public commons.

Re: Use Jonathan's card to buy yourself an iPad

#202

Post by heelhook »

sequoia wrote: post #161
burgerbrain wrote: post #150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, I really don't think that it is disproportional. Sam Odio hasn't apologized let alone returned the money. In fact, he just tries to justify his actions. I would say it is likely that this is symptomatic of his ethical and moral attitude in general.

I say we hang 'im... then we kill 'im! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVKsd8z6scw#t=102 Seriously tho, it seems like this backlash is getting a bit out of hand. There was a silly, whimsical social experiment, and this guy had a silly, whimsical hack on it, now people are calling to destroy his business and run him out of town on a rail. So it wasn't the best decision, so what? Let's keep things in perspective here,…

Even though I don't agree with what this guy is saying I don't think this comment should have been downvoted, if you don't agree say so, downvoting is not for that!

Re: Use Jonathan's card to buy yourself an iPad

#203

Post by niels_olson »

burgerbrain wrote: post #111
niels_olson wrote: post #103

To all who want to slam on Sam Odio's moral code: You're seriously arguing that a hack that converts money into fat, caffeinated Americans and corporate profit is better than a hack that hacks that hack to feed the poor? We should be finding more ways to prevent the conversion of money into American fat. In fact: as a doctor, there's my challenge to you: please find ways to catch calories before they land in middle-c…

To those who want to slam on those "slamming" on Sam Odio's (reprehensible) moral code: You're seriously arguing that that we should re-evaluate our outlook by slinging around childish insults?

Could you please cite the childish insult?

Re: Use Jonathan's card to buy yourself an iPad

#204

Post by kennywinker »

burgerbrain wrote: post #180
kennywinker wrote: post #174

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, it's goodwill... just the really empty kind of goodwill that makes everyone feel good but nobody actually better off. Sorry, I probably came off more condescending than I intended. I'm only trying to inject a measure of perspective. People (yourself included) are acting like this was a "miserable" and "disgusting" thing to do. He could have stolen the money and never said a word (which would have been lame), bu…

"People (yourself included) are acting like this was a "miserable" and "disgusting" thing to do." I am not acting like it is, I am saying that it is. And yes, I know that I am doing that... since I am doing it. Regardless of wither or not it was within the bounds of the experiment it was an asshat thing to do.

How is this worse than someone who buys coffee with the card, and never contributes any money?

Re: Use Jonathan's card to buy yourself an iPad

#205

Post by TranceaddicT »

sequoia wrote: post #109

I think I've changed my mind about the project, reading everyone's opinions here. At least sort of. An analogy: You have some clothes, and you build a little covered rack outside your house on the street and put a sign up that says "clothing swap, takes some for yourself or leave some for someone else." Some people take some clothes and drop some off. THEN some guy comes along and says "this is BS, it's just a bunch…

Your argument with the dollars fails on two accounts. First, the "take a penny/leave a penny" concept has one MAJOR security guard that this experiment doesn't have ... a monitor. That monitor being a sales clerk. The second a MAJOR security breach, the anonymity factor.

All arguments to make this experiment analogous to any "Take/Leave" scheme is flawed on these accounts. (Not that I don't appreciate the analogies, I do.) Would Sam (or anyone) have acted the same had they been in the same position with any of the "Take/Leave" assumptions. My guess, no. Sam like the anonymity of being able to take without consequence. Now that he has revealed his duplicity he's not liking the consequences.

Re: Use Jonathan's card to buy yourself an iPad

#207

Post by TranceaddicT »

sequoia wrote: post #12
nhangen wrote: post #6

Yeah, it's cool, but also nefarious, charity or not.

Not really... I don't think that the people who put money on the card have any claim to determine how the money is used. It's like giving a gift, once you give it you don't get to control it anymore, and they are giving a gift to an anonymous recipient. If they want to control how the money is spent... perhaps don't put it on a publicly accessible debit card? ;)

Yes, they do. When any funds were contributed the presumptive use was that the funds were to help someone down the line get a cup of coffee if they really couldn't afford one. To say they don't have can't claim determination is like say anyone who contributes to aid projects sent to Africa can't be upset when it is siphoned off by corrupt politicians.

Re: Use Jonathan's card to buy yourself an iPad

#208

Post by TranceaddicT »

yaaqmon wrote: post #81

Very interesting experiment on an already interesting experiment. Would everyone be up in arms if he didn't publish how he did it on his blog and publicly post the code on github and instead used it to buy himself coffee for life? He saw a "flaw" in the system and is publicizing it. Sounds pretty holy to me. Certainly holier than buying yourself a luxury item from an exploiting corporation, meanwhile deluding yoursel…

He saw a flaw and abused it and publicized it for others to abuse for a while BEFORE he announced it to the world. Had he announced he had found a flaw (or better, contacted Jonathan that there was a flaw) his altruism would be real.

And, they (we/I) are not deluding themselves into thinking they are doing something good for society. They/We are showing goodwill to others.

Re: Use Jonathan's card to buy yourself an iPad

#209

Post by ImprovedSilence »

I think some people on here took too much offense to his 'holier than thou' attitude. the kid showed off a neat little hack (we're all nerds here) showed it to the world, put the money towards a good cause, and hopefully educated some people about security issues. i think is hilarious, I give sam some props, and I can live another day without free coffee...
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