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   KB, Dec 14th, 2002 @ 9:26am

   
   

   In some states it is illegal to own a lock pick set unless you are a licensed locksmith or law enforcement officer. In NYC it is illegal to own a gun without a permit. In CA it is illegal to own a billyclub unless you are a law enforcement officer, etc, etc.
   
   There are plenty of law making it illegal to own a tool that *could be* used in the commission of a crime. This is nothing new.
   

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2.  

   Re: No Subject Given

   

   Anonymous Coward, Dec 16th, 2002 @ 3:57am

   
   

   well KB, watching a dvd is a crime now ? or only if its not on windoze...

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3.  

   ...Illegal to own a computer

   

   Steve, Dec 16th, 2002 @ 12:40pm

   
   

   That's the logical conclusion to your line of reasoning. PC's are so useful right now because of the huge variety of things they can be used for. But among the many uses are illegal things--hacking of any kind. So since I can write a program on my computer to hack into a website, my computer should be illegal except for "licensed users?"

   There is a simple distinction that needs to be drawn. A tool whose intended/primary use is for perfectly legal things shound not be able to be outlawed or used only for "licensed" uses just because it can possibly be used for illegal means. It's really not that hard to say, "what did you create this for?" or "what percentage of users use it for legal vs. illegal means. Because if you start applying the lock pick/gun analogies, not only will computers require licenses, pretty much every tool--hammers, screw drivers, hacksaws, wire cutters...

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