Re: [MLUG] Looking 4 mad cheap PCI wireless cards

[Mike Miller <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

On Thu, 21 Oct 2004, Jerry Gamblin wrote:

> As someone who has been very close to being prosecuted for connecting to 
> open wireless access points in Columbia and doing nothing more then 
> surfing...

This does sound worrisome, but isn't it true that most computers will 
automatically identify nearby access points and connect to them rather 
automatically?  If connecting requires almost no input from the user, what 
can they charge you with?  Clicking on the 'configure' button?

People are naturally afraid of lawyers, but I think we should stand up to 
them sometimes.  If Matt is not making any changes in the network or 
making changes in the computers on that network, then I don't think he has 
done anything wrong by connecting to it.  The owner of the wifi access 
point is fully culpable for leaving it wide open.

I would be interested in your story.  Maybe you could define "very close" 
for us.  Sometimes lawyers will use completely empty threats to intimidate 
people, and it works.

Mike
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