Rogue Academic Downloader Busted by MIT Webcam Stakeout, Arrest Report Says • Hacker News Board

Re: Rogue Academic Downloader Busted by MIT Webcam Stakeout, Arrest Report Says

#51

Post by Iv » Thu, Jul 28, 2011, 12:11 AM UTC

blake8086 wrote: post #37

makecheck wrote: post #29

Sentencing a criminal to jail is theoretically supposed to be for the good of society. So in a case like this, they'd better ask themselves if society would ultimately benefit from having him behind bars. The actual damage done here was negligible, especially considering the questionable locking-down of the content in the first place (i.e. maybe it should always have been free, and it was still valued at only $50,000…

He could argue that he created $50,000 of value since now there's 2 copies. (and maybe pay the fine with 20 copies of the database)

I smell a way to solve the debt crisis here...

Re: Rogue Academic Downloader Busted by MIT Webcam Stakeout, Arrest Report Says

#52

Post by jamesbritt » Thu, Jul 28, 2011, 12:21 AM UTC

_delirium wrote: post #34

bdhe wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Interesting way of putting it. I would have said "removing the data from his possession" This is part of a standard narrative to treat copyright infringement as theft analogous to theft of "tangible" traditional property. You will also notice terms like "documents were stolen" in the original indictment. Although to be fair to JSTOR, their official statement did not use such (imho) misleading language.

To really increase the realism of the metaphor, in the future when such content is stolen, they should refuse to serve it to library users. They could explain that, regrettably, the journal issue I seek is currently missing due to a recent theft, and assure me that they are working as fast as possible to recover the stolen documents.

My local library is like that. I've had to wait on checking out a PDF because all available copies were taken.

Yay, future!

Re: Rogue Academic Downloader Busted by MIT Webcam Stakeout, Arrest Report Says

#53

Post by RP_Joe » Thu, Jul 28, 2011, 12:27 AM UTC

ladyphp wrote: post #21

Totally blowing things out of proportion. 35 years? Secret Service? Just for JSTOR data...it's unusual punishment Everything Aaron does is out of good intentions. I know, I've worked with him before. His crime isn't "borrowing" the data...it's getting caught.

No his crime was breaking into a room and placing a computer there accessing a network without permission.

Re: Rogue Academic Downloader Busted by MIT Webcam Stakeout, Arrest Report Says

#54

Post by walexander » Thu, Jul 28, 2011, 12:30 AM UTC

walexander wrote: post #42

I'm not interested in the soap opera, but I hope this serves a lesson to MIT: Always shutdown unused switch ports, and protect them with 802.1X.

Really, downvoted for this? Seriously, I'm tired of the soap opera crap.

802.1X is infinitely more interesting.

Re: Rogue Academic Downloader Busted by MIT Webcam Stakeout, Arrest Report Says

#55

Post by VladRussian » Thu, Jul 28, 2011, 12:33 AM UTC

Mizza wrote: post #2

>The two MIT officers and Special Agent Pickett then tried to stop Swartz, who jumped off his bike and ran away, only to be caught and handcuffed by the Secret Service Agent, according to the report. RUN FASTER. I really can't stress this enough. The reason he got caught is because he didn't run fast enough. If you're going to do stuff like this, LEARN TO RUN FAST. Cops are fat and slow. You can usually get away from…

second lesson - use wireless. One laptop (or better - "gumstix" http://www.gumstix.com/ ) reads and transmits. Another, not physically connected, not in the same room, etc. - receives.

Re: Rogue Academic Downloader Busted by MIT Webcam Stakeout, Arrest Report Says

#56

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Jul 28, 2011, 12:39 AM UTC

blake8086 wrote: post #37

makecheck wrote: post #29

Sentencing a criminal to jail is theoretically supposed to be for the good of society. So in a case like this, they'd better ask themselves if society would ultimately benefit from having him behind bars. The actual damage done here was negligible, especially considering the questionable locking-down of the content in the first place (i.e. maybe it should always have been free, and it was still valued at only $50,000…

He could argue that he created $50,000 of value since now there's 2 copies. (and maybe pay the fine with 20 copies of the database)

[deleted]

Re: Rogue Academic Downloader Busted by MIT Webcam Stakeout, Arrest Report Says

#57

Post by idlewords » Thu, Jul 28, 2011, 12:44 AM UTC

iends wrote: post #22

cschep wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ha, I was just thinking the same thing. Also, if we're talking pure logistics, don't jump off the BIKE either. Perhaps we should consider the fact that the secret service was involved.. I bet that guy is pretty fast. I don't know why I think that though, just seems more "tough". Another thing: Aaron is a really important person to have writing/researching/hacking outside of prison. Surely it's a net win to just pay a…

You ruined The Wire for me. I just started watching season 1.

Dumbledore kills McNulty!

Re: Rogue Academic Downloader Busted by MIT Webcam Stakeout, Arrest Report Says

#58

Post by idlewords » Thu, Jul 28, 2011, 12:50 AM UTC

code_duck wrote: post #23

ladyphp wrote: post #21

Totally blowing things out of proportion. 35 years? Secret Service? Just for JSTOR data...it's unusual punishment Everything Aaron does is out of good intentions. I know, I've worked with him before. His crime isn't "borrowing" the data...it's getting caught.

His crime is also having those good intentions relate to opposing the current political establishment.

There's no proof whatsoever that this arrest was politically motivated. aaronsw's furtive behavior really muddies the waters here - if my sysadmin found a similar laptop in a server closet I would also have called the cops.

Re: Rogue Academic Downloader Busted by MIT Webcam Stakeout, Arrest Report Says

#59

Post by rsingel » Thu, Jul 28, 2011, 12:51 AM UTC

ramidarigaz wrote: post #4

"For its part, JSTOR says it worked with Swartz’s lawyers to get the data back[...]" Interesting way of putting it. I would have said "removing the data from his possession"

That's a fair point. I'll be more careful next time.

Re: Rogue Academic Downloader Busted by MIT Webcam Stakeout, Arrest Report Says

#60

Post by tedunangst » Thu, Jul 28, 2011, 1:28 AM UTC

burgerbrain wrote: post #45

gst wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are many crimes for which you can go to jail even though you are not a dangerous person.

And all of those are instances of unjust punishment.

I'm reminded of the Boston Legal episode where the defendant kills his mother and they argue that he's not a danger to society because he only had one mother and is therefore not going to repeat his crime.

More seriously, I'm not sure if I should interpret your statement to mean that white collar criminals are dangerous or that they should never go to jail.