Computer Hacking/Cracking?

[John]

To get a bit more information on the project I am working on, (http://forums.dragonflycave.com/showthread.php?p=436444#post436444)

what are your opinions on computer hacking, or cracking? Is it morally right?

 

[Superbird]

Well, it's fun...

 

[goldenquagsire]

breaking into others peoples' computers? that's pretty morally suspect. even if you're doing it for a noble cause (I dunno, hacking into a politician's computer to find evidence of corruption) it's still dodgy.

if you mean hacking as in 'fiddling about with computer programs' (which is the definition that proper programmers use, iirc) then I don't see how it could be morally wrong. unless you're cracking into protected programming or w/e. I don't really understand programming or copyright law so I don't have much to say about the issue.

this is... kind of a silly topic?

 

[Superbird]

My friend likes killing the school computers =b

 

[xxMortyxx]

XD so do i... XDDD

 

[nyuu]

Messing with people's private e-stuff is about as ethical as messing with people's private irl-stuff.

Superbird's friend sounds like a jerk. The machines aren't theirs to trash, and it inconveniences everyone when someone goes and bricks one of them. (Teachers can't input grades, nobody can do work, and someone has to come in and diagnose the problem and then possibly re-image the computer or whatever)

Having the capacity to do something clever doesn't mean it's right to actually do it.

(John, mind clarifying what it is you're looking for?)

 

[Pwnemon]

Furthermore, you pay for the new one.

 

[Superbird]

Superbird's friend sounds like a jerk.

He's a trekkie. Honestly, he does it for fun. Most of the time, all he does is browse the Y: drive.

On the other hand, just today he sent me a folder of hacks titled "safe hacks".

He's actually a nice person. Josh, his friend, is the one who actually killed that computer in the library. Seriously, it won't even turn on anymore...

All I do personally, is change the cursor from an arrow into a dinosaur :)

 

[nyuu]

Ehh. Looking at drives or changing the cursor/screen resolution isn't particularly hacky. Whoever is actually breaking things is still being pretty jerk. The distinction between breaking stuff & playing with display settings might fall on deaf ears to your teachers, though.