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It seems like he was accessing the MIT network simply to get an MIT IP address that would authorize him in the JSTOR application. He then was running a scraper,
by trotsky 15y ago
It seems like he was accessing the MIT network simply to get an MIT IP address that would authorize him in the JSTOR application. He then was running a scraper, which was probably just a python script with a bit of metering to avoid slamming them too hard. Does anyone know if that's correct, that if your organization has a site license you can access the service without additional credentials?
If that's all true then the description of the events and charges seem to reflect quite a polarized view. It's somewhat understandable, though, that JSTOR would want to "throw the book at him" given his previous public comments - it seems very likely he intended to distribute the large cache of documents widely. Whether or not that's ethical, it's clearly not in the firm's best interests - I doubt a similar situation without any intent to distribute would be referred to law enforcement at all.
- tedunangst 15y agoI'm not specifically familiar with JSTOR or MIT's network, but I am familiar with other services that allow free access from anyone coming via a school's network block, and I'm also familiar with networks that will allow guest access for a short period of time so as to not inconvenience true guests. Lots of services do this because it's far less hassle than distributing traditional credentials and typically it's less likely to be abused because unlike name/password pairs, you can't post an IP address to usenet and have somebody else use it. The abuser also has to be physically present, which makes them much easier to find.