Computer Underground Digest--Thu Aug 1, 1991 (Vol #3.28) >> SPECIAL ISSUE: RESPONSE TO FORESTER ARTICLE << Moderators: Jim Thomas and Gordon Meyer (TK0JUT2@NIU.BITNET) Contents, #3.28 (August 1, 1991) Subject: File 1--SPECIAL ISSUE: THE TOM FORESTER ARTICLE Subject: File 2--CuD Review of _Computer Ethics_ (Reprint) Subject: File 3--Re: Hackers - Clamp Down NOW! Subject: File 4--Reply to Tom Forester Article Administratia: ARCHIVISTS: BRENDAN KEHOE BOB KUSUMOTO SCANMEISTER: BOB KRAUSE CuD is available via electronic mail at no cost. Printed copies are available by subscription. Single copies are available for the costs of reproduction and mailing. Issues of CuD can be found in the Usenet alt.society.cu-digest news group, on CompuServe in DL0 and DL4 of the IBMBBS SIG, DL1 of LAWSIG, and DL0 and DL12 of TELECOM, on Genie, on the PC-EXEC BBS at (414) 789-4210, and by anonymous ftp from ftp.cs.widener.edu, chsun1.uchicago.edu, and dagon.acc.stolaf.edu. To use the U. of Chicago email server, send mail with the subject "help" (without the quotes) to archive-server@chsun1.uchicago.edu. COMPUTER UNDERGROUND DIGEST is an open forum dedicated to sharing information among computerists and to the presentation and debate of diverse views. CuD material may be reprinted as long as the source is cited. Some authors do copyright their material, and they should be contacted for reprint permission. It is assumed that non-personal mail to the moderators may be reprinted unless otherwise specified. Readers are encouraged to submit reasoned articles relating to the Computer Underground. Articles are preferred to short responses. Please avoid quoting previous posts unless absolutely necessary. DISCLAIMER: The views represented herein do not necessarily represent the views of the moderators. Digest contributors assume all responsibility for ensuring that articles submitted do not violate copyright protections. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: July 31, 1991 From: "The Moderators" Subject: File 1--SPECIAL ISSUE: THE TOM FORESTER ARTICLE A recently publicly posted reprint of a letter in an Australian newspaper, apparently originally done for the letter's author for the purpose of generating discussion on the nets, has provoked considerable discussion on usenet. The author of the letter, Tom Forester, has written several books on computers, including _Computer Ethics: Cautionary Tales and Ethical Dilemmas in Computing_; _High Tech Society: The Story of the Information Technology Revolution_; and (as editor) _Computers in the Human Context: Information Technology, Productivity, and People_. Because of the stature of the author in some circles, and because of his gross inaccuracies, simplistic generalizations, flawed logic, and inflammatory call for "get-tough" measures against "hackers," we devote this issue to the letter and invite responses that we will print in a second special issue. Because Forester's comments deviate so wildly from his book _Computer Ethics_, we thought the post might be a hoax, but upon checking were assured that it was indeed the same Tom Forester and that the post was legitimate. Despite the criticisms of the post on Usenet's comp.org.eff.talk, and despite the fact that the article was originally reported to be posted at his request as a way of generated discussion, he has not participated in the discussion. Below, we first reprint the CuD review of _Computer Ethics_, which we liked, then a response to selected aspects of the public post by Mike Godwin, and finally a detailed reply by Jim Thomas, writing wearing his "professor of criminology" hat rather than CuD editor. ------------------------------