tptacekNov 4
Have you read any of his papers? Morris was not fucking around.
Show threadlysaceNov 4

Please expand?

He was and is very smart. This is not disputed. He was 23 at the time. Not exactly a child.

The worm was surprisingly elaborate containing three separate remote exploits.

It probably took a few weeks to build and test.

So sabotaging thousands of at the time very expensive network connected computers was a very deliberate action.

I posit that he likely did it to become famous and perhaps even successful, feeling safe with his dad’s position. And it worked. He did not end up in prison. He ended up cofounding Viaweb and YCombinator.

Unironically a great role model for YC. :/

Show threadtptacekNov 4
I'm not psychoanalyzing the guy, I'm saying I'm not surprised he had an elite academic career, because he's an elite performer.
Show threadlysaceNov 4

What confuses me right now is your ongoing very obvious leftist activist stance on HN vs refusing to entertain the thought that he got away with it because of his NSA dad.

Edit: I am not American. Please realize that I meant exactly what I wrote and not what some of you now imagine that I wrote. I have high trust in you!

To clarify: not a Trump fan.

Show threaddefenNov 4
A felony conviction, three years probation, 400 hours of community service, and a $25,000 (inflation adjusted) fine for a novel non-violent crime with no personal material benefit isn't exactly "got away with it"
Show threadlysaceNov 4
Yes, that is getting away with it for someone with means and clout.
Show threaddefen

That's a values debate, I guess. What is the purpose of punishment? Is it to set an example to others, is it to remove a dangerous person from society, is it to prevent the criminal from reoffending, is it to satisfy society's desire to see wrongdoers punished?

He didn't reoffend (as far as we know), and in fact went on to become a highly-contributing member of society. His crime was not so egregious that recompense was impossible even in principle. I don't see how a harsher punishment for him would have produced an obviously better outcome. I think it would be more productive to argue that people who commit similar crimes should receive similar punishments as this, rather than arguing that he should have received a harsher punishment.

Nov 4 at 9:09pmWeb
Show threadtptacekNov 4
I don't think this is as much about the purpose of punishment as it is about the monkeys with the grapes and the cucumbers.