3 ms·

It can never be illegal to use any tool. It is the intent and action carried out with the tool that decides whether it is illegal. Consider the difference carr

by holmb 9y ago

It can never be illegal to use any tool. It is the intent and action carried out with the tool that decides whether it is illegal. Consider the difference carrying a knife, being a hunter, and carrying a knife being a bankrobber and going into a bank to use it.

brockers 9y ago
Oh it most certainly can... it SHOULDN'T but it absolutely can.
- holmb 9y ago
  Perhaps the knife was a bit exagerated. It will be considered a weapon in many jurisdictions. Lynx however will/should hardly be considered a hacking tool. curl has been in deep waters many times, equally perplexing as the lynx scenario. https://daniel.haxx.se/blog/2016/01/19/subject-urgent-warning/ https://daniel.haxx.se/blog/2016/01/19/subject-urgent-warnin...
masswerk 9y ago
Compare Linux Reviews, "Solaris-user arrested by British Police for using Lynx" -- http://linuxreviews.org/news/2005/01/28_0001/28_0001.html.en http://linuxreviews.org/news/2005/01/28_0001/28_0001.html.en
- holmb 9y ago
  That is scary indeed. Was he convicted? Police do make mistakes and one can only hope that they are corrected.
  - masswerk 9y ago
    I faintly recall reading (to my utter astonishment) that he was at least not freed from the accusation as you would have expected. I tried a search for any follow-ups, but to no avail. Maybe due to the "right to forget." (Information conveyed without warranty, liability or claim of correctness. It has been 12 years since, I may be in error.)
    - gsnedders 9y ago
      He might have never been charged, and being released without charge is rarely reported.
JadeNB 9y ago
> It can never be illegal to use any tool. It is the intent and action carried out with the tool that decides whether it is illegal. Since illegality is, literally, whatever is contrary to the law, anything at all can be illegal. We can hope that crazy things won't be illegal, and decry their illegality—but, since it's convenient for a government to impose sufficiently many laws that anyone can have some infraction pinned on him or her (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwsLAqjqnxo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwsLAqjqnxo), to say that any particular thing can't be illegal is probably wishful thinking.

by holmb 9y ago

brockers 9y ago

Oh it most certainly can... it SHOULDN'T but it absolutely can.

holmb 9y ago
Perhaps the knife was a bit exagerated. It will be considered a weapon in many jurisdictions. Lynx however will/should hardly be considered a hacking tool. curl has been in deep waters many times, equally perplexing as the lynx scenario. https://daniel.haxx.se/blog/2016/01/19/subject-urgent-warning/ https://daniel.haxx.se/blog/2016/01/19/subject-urgent-warnin...

masswerk 9y ago

Compare Linux Reviews, "Solaris-user arrested by British Police for using Lynx" -- http://linuxreviews.org/news/2005/01/28_0001/28_0001.html.en http://linuxreviews.org/news/2005/01/28_0001/28_0001.html.en

holmb 9y ago
That is scary indeed. Was he convicted? Police do make mistakes and one can only hope that they are corrected.
- masswerk 9y ago
  I faintly recall reading (to my utter astonishment) that he was at least not freed from the accusation as you would have expected. I tried a search for any follow-ups, but to no avail. Maybe due to the "right to forget." (Information conveyed without warranty, liability or claim of correctness. It has been 12 years since, I may be in error.)
  - gsnedders 9y ago
    He might have never been charged, and being released without charge is rarely reported.

JadeNB 9y ago

> It can never be illegal to use any tool. It is the intent and action carried out with the tool that decides whether it is illegal. Since illegality is, literally, whatever is contrary to the law, anything at all can be illegal. We can hope that crazy things won't be illegal, and decry their illegality—but, since it's convenient for a government to impose sufficiently many laws that anyone can have some infraction pinned on him or her (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwsLAqjqnxo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwsLAqjqnxo), to say that any particular thing can't be illegal is probably wishful thinking.