Man imprisoned for extending computer lifespans

This is for topical issues effecting our fair world... you can quit snickering anytime. Note: It is the desire of the leadership of SFDebris Conglomerate that all posters maintain a civil and polite bearing in this forum, regardless of how you feel about any particular issue. Violators will be turned over to Captain Janeway for experimentation.
Post Reply
Fuzzy Necromancer
Overlord
Posts: 6303
Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2017 1:57 am

Man imprisoned for extending computer lifespans

Post by Fuzzy Necromancer »

"Believe me, there’s nothing so terrible that someone won’t support it."
— Un Lun Dun, China Mieville
User avatar
BridgeConsoleMasher
Overlord
Posts: 11630
Joined: Tue Aug 28, 2018 6:18 am

Re: Man imprisoned for extending computer lifespans

Post by BridgeConsoleMasher »

I think it's safe to say that your title implies strongly that the charge is for extending computer lifespans. While it's not totally clear on the precise details of the laws broken, it does state that it infringed on Microsoft Corp.

Though this is a weird throughput of court proceedings considering it's at the federal level and there's still personal dispute on the part of Lundgren.
..What mirror universe?
User avatar
Deledrius
Captain
Posts: 1965
Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2017 3:24 pm

Re: Man imprisoned for extending computer lifespans

Post by Deledrius »

The headline of that article is blatantly false. He is going to prison for fraud and copyright infringement (for the purpose of extending the lives of older systems). He funded the counterfeiting of material he did not have a license to copy or distribute, and planned to do so while claiming they were genuine.

That said, the punishment is incredibly out of line for what he did. The software is available for free, and his intention to help upcycle old equipment is a good one. He unfortunately chose an ethically shady (and legally unsupported) method of doing it. There are much better ways to recover and resell this equipment that wouldn't have involved either fraud or counterfeiting.

There's no need to lie about what this case was about the way that the LA Times is doing. The story is sufficiently interesting on the truths of the case alone.

More info: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/201 ... to-prison/
User avatar
BridgeConsoleMasher
Overlord
Posts: 11630
Joined: Tue Aug 28, 2018 6:18 am

Re: Man imprisoned for extending computer lifespans

Post by BridgeConsoleMasher »

Seems FUBAR for lack of a better word.
..What mirror universe?
Post Reply