Re: Autodesk cowed by threat of attack by RTMark (and workgroup@rtmark.com)

[Brad Waugh <waugh@lola.phy.queensu.ca>]

[: hacktivism :]

Bronc Buster wrote:
> 
> [: hacktivism :]
> 
> It sounds like you and Brad are more the vet 'activist', then a
> 'hacktivist'. I am not an activist, and I have no intention is ever being
> one, but I do concider myself a hacktivist.
> 
> It appears people think because something works on the street, that it
> must also apply online. This is a basic fallicy.
> 
> Activism != Hacktivism
> 

Back to my point about boring assertions with no supporting arguments...  I will try to explain by way of example the point I made that I can simply assert the opposing view with no support and we hit a stalemate (note: the spelling has been corrected to protect the literate):

 It sounds like Bronc is more the vet 'hacker', than a
 'hacktivist'. I am not a hacker, and I have no intention is ever being
 one, but I do consider myself a hacktivist.
 
 It appears people think because something works on the net, that it
 must also apply on the street. This is a basic fallicy.
 
Hackerism != Hacktivism



> People who think that doing these kind of eye-for-an-eye type of actions
> are right and justified need to get a clue. If we want to keep the
> internet FREE, then we MUST act in a responsible manner. 
> Threatening a
> company, like what was done with eToys, is a prime example of more being
> a vigalante then anything else. What does this kind of behavior lead to?
> Government stepping in to police things. All it will take is ONE instant
> for one of these 'threats' to go too far, and here come the feds with new
> laws, clipper chips, bugs, echelons, etc.
> 


All one has to do to see that this is the fairy tale version of the interplay between communications systems, the 'people' and the state is to consider the real history of government control of the radio spectrum...


> What are you going to do then? Try and take down the US Govt?

What do you suggest, that we try to coexist with a system that is perpetually perched to trample our freedoms and that we maintain an expectation that if we behave they won't exercise their illegitimate power to take those freedoms away?  Have you not taken any notice lately that the US and other gov'ts (I am governed by the Canadian state directly, the US state is one step slightly removed) don't exactly need any excuses to impose "free" trade, genetically altered foods, monetarist economics etc, etc. on us without our approval?  THEY DON'T NEED AN 'EXCUSE' TO DO THESE THINGS.  WE NEED TO
GIVE THEM A REASON TO NOT DO THEM -- RESIST.  

> 
> Activism, as far as I think of it, has always been about bringing
> attention to a pressing matter people think needs to be changed.When
> abortion clinics start getting blown up, buildings start to get burned
> down, etc, it's no longer activism, but terrorism.

More fairy tales.  The civil rights movement in your country, and the labour movement around the world (to name a couple of examples) did not succeed due to the 'attention' they got, but rather by interfering with business as usual.  

As to terrorism, how do you propose one should fight terrorism? (Where I am talking about the terrorism of a gov't which kills (in Nicaragua, Vietnam, Iraq and Serbia to name a few locales) for political gain.)  Kind of naive to think it can be done by changing the minds of the kinds of people who tend to be the targets of this type of terrorism. 

> 
> Hacktivism should be thought of in a similer way. You should want to bring
> the public attention to an issue, not get rid of the issue and sweep it
> under the rug (like what is being attempted with Autodesk). Look at
> Echleon Day. That was a prime example of what you should be doing;
> bringing attention to it. Look at what it accomplished; it's been
> acknolodged as existing, and more is known about it every day.

So?  Has it stopped?  The state already knew about Echelon, so what does it matter that the people do unless they are prepared to do something about it.  Go ahead and vote for Tweedledum and see if it makes a difference.  (Eventhough, Tweedledee was elected to get away from such things to begin with.)

> 
> I am sorry if you don't agree with my views, but then again, I am a
> technology vet and a net junkie, and not to mention some what of an
> infamous 'hacker' in my own right; I am not an activist.
> 
> Maybe taking a step back and thinking about the possible ripples these
> actions could bring about might make you change your minds.
> 
> regards,
>    Bronc Buster
>   bronc@2600.com


Brad


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