Terry Childs Case Puts All Admins In Danger 498
snydeq writes "Paul Venezia analyzes the four counts San Francisco has levied against Terry Childs, a case that curiously omits the charge of computer tampering, the very allegation that has kept Childs in jail for seven months and now appears too weak to present in court. Count 1 — 'disrupting or denying computer services' — is moot, according to Venezia, as the city's FiberWAN did not go down due to Childs' actions. Venezia writes, 'Childs' refusal to give up the passwords for several days in no way caused a disruption of the normal operation of the FiberWAN. In fact, it could be argued that his refusal actually prevented the disruption of normal network operation.' Counts 2 through 4 pertain to modems Childs had under his control, 'providing a means of accessing a computer, computer system, or computer network in violation of section 502,' according to case documents. As Venezia sees it, these counts too are spurious, as such devices are essential to the fulfillment of admin job requirements. 'If Childs is convicted on the modem charges, then just about every network administrator in the world could be charged with the same "crime,"' Venezia writes. All the authorities would have to do is 'point out that you have a modem or two, and suddenly you're wearing pinstripes of the jailhouse variety.'"
Too bad "being an asshole" is not a crime (Score:5, Funny)
On second thought, I'd be in for a long stint.
Never mind.
When modems are illegal... (Score:5, Funny)
Thankfully I'm stealing my neighbor's wifi, so I don't have to worry about being caught with a modem.
Obligatory KITH link. (Score:4, Funny)
This is a classic [youtube.com]
Re:the admin's response (Score:1, Funny)
That's what she said!
Re:Jeeezzzzzussss (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Section 502 (Score:5, Funny)
A Moot Point ? (Score:4, Funny)
Count 1: disrupting or denying computer services is moot
Joey: It's a moo point ... like a cows opinion, doesn't matter ... it's moo.
Rachel: You mean a moot point ?
Joey: No...no, a moo point
Re:Free Terry Childs! (Score:3, Funny)
Free Terry Childs with purchase!
Re:Free Terry Childs! (Score:3, Funny)
*Free Terry Childs must be of equal or lesser value to that of purchased Terry Childs. Must be a California resident to claim prize. Valid only while supplies last.
Re:Too bad "being an asshole" is not a crime (Score:2, Funny)
Don't confuse us with facts.
Future sys admin dialogue? (Score:3, Funny)
Tony: Hi Mike, how ya doin'? How was Joilet?
Mike: Oh, it was bad. Thursday night they'd serve a wicked pepper steak.
Tony: Can't be as bad as the cabbage roll at the Terra-Phelavo penn.
Steve: Or that oatmeal at the Cook County slammer.
Tony: Well, they're all pretty bad.
Re:Free Terry Childs! (Score:3, Funny)
"Warning [physics.uwo.ca]: This Product Attracts Every Other Piece of Matter in the Universe, Including the Products of Other Manufacturers, with a Force Proportional to the Product of the Masses and Inversely Proportional to the Distance Between Them."
Re:popular trend in the courts lately (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Obligatory KITH link. (Score:3, Funny)