Yes. He managed to hack computers owned by the government. I don't care if he has a tumor the size of a baseball in his skull. Throw his ass in the slammer.
The Autistic Hacker: is He at Fault?
- Thread starter shado_temple
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If it were autism or schizophrenia I would say he should be let off. Asperger's is a form of autism, but it's like a very very mild variety, where the sufferer still has more or less all of their mental faculties. It doesn't affect IQ or judgement.
Essentially they primary symptoms are:
Obsessive and ritualistic behavior (ie his obsession with UFOs)
Severely reduced ability to percieve social ques, ie facial gestures, inappropriate behavior, etc.
While his obsession with UFOs may have been what led him to hack the government's database, Asperger's does not affect one's ability to make decisions, so no, don't let him off.
Essentially they primary symptoms are:
Obsessive and ritualistic behavior (ie his obsession with UFOs)
Severely reduced ability to percieve social ques, ie facial gestures, inappropriate behavior, etc.
While his obsession with UFOs may have been what led him to hack the government's database, Asperger's does not affect one's ability to make decisions, so no, don't let him off.
Asperger's isn't as severe as actual autism, and I know people who have Asperger's, so no, I don't think his condition should be used as an excuse.
actually ADHD and Aspergers are untreatable (Ritalin only combat,s the "symptoms")daltonlaffs said:
but I agree people should stop using scape goats when they do stuff.
If he is that incapable of making judgements then he needs to be cared for permanently and possibly, denied access to any terminals with Internet access for the safety of others.
Technically, if the entire US defence force lost access to files of import terrible things could have happened to US citizens or citizens or their ally nations. Sure it obviously didn't happen, and was unlikely, but it could have and as I'm a citizen of two of the US's ally nations and resident of one of those, I'm keen on them having a fully operational defence force. For all my pissing and moaning about the terrible things in the US (WBC anyone?), I like being friends with the biggest kid in the play ground.
He also cost tax payers a large sum, he needs to be held accountable for that. Someone does.
Note how I took exception to your actions, not you or anything over which you have no control. This is how to be civil (and bonus points for being pretentious) try it some time.
Technically, if the entire US defence force lost access to files of import terrible things could have happened to US citizens or citizens or their ally nations. Sure it obviously didn't happen, and was unlikely, but it could have and as I'm a citizen of two of the US's ally nations and resident of one of those, I'm keen on them having a fully operational defence force. For all my pissing and moaning about the terrible things in the US (WBC anyone?), I like being friends with the biggest kid in the play ground.
He also cost tax payers a large sum, he needs to be held accountable for that. Someone does.
Don't be obnoxious and generalise so much. One of the posters in this very thread has said that they have Asperger's so stop being a prick.Kiraxa said:
Note how I took exception to your actions, not you or anything over which you have no control. This is how to be civil (and bonus points for being pretentious) try it some time.
On the one hand, yes he caused a great deal of damage, turned off several military systems post 9/11 and caused alot of damage. But on the other, if you belive the man himself, he found a system with no protection leaving notes informing the US goverment. Considering he'll stuggle to prove that one, it seems the US has the upperhand here. Except that their attempts to move a person who has known mental problems and who would more then likely commit sucide if extridated are bizarrely zealous and their disregard for the British Legal System is very insulting. Also, it's been ten years since this happened. America are still pushing to get a single person to America, whilst groups like LOLsec and anon are still running amock. The worlds police my arse.
I'd also like to point out the reason why he's arguing is because he is suicidal.
McKinnon's mother, Janis Sharp, claimed that he was suicidal and that he would not survive a U.S. prison incarceration...
Mitting distinguished two issues which were arguable, the first being whether Professor Turk's opinion that McKinnon would certainly commit suicide if extradited means that the Home Secretary must refuse extradition under section 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998 (which prevents a public authority from acting in a way incompatible with convention rights).
The autistic part of this arguement is not important, it's the issue that he may take his life.
I'd also like to point out the reason why he's arguing is because he is suicidal.
McKinnon's mother, Janis Sharp, claimed that he was suicidal and that he would not survive a U.S. prison incarceration...
Mitting distinguished two issues which were arguable, the first being whether Professor Turk's opinion that McKinnon would certainly commit suicide if extradited means that the Home Secretary must refuse extradition under section 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998 (which prevents a public authority from acting in a way incompatible with convention rights).
The autistic part of this arguement is not important, it's the issue that he may take his life.
Basically he knew what he was doing, and aspergers syndrome is as much an argument to get him free as left handedness or having red hair.
It does not relieve you from any kind of responsebility, because the person with asperger is by no means insane or crazy, just a little bit different in his or her perception.
*small note, i was diagnosed with it as well 5 years ago, and it explained a lot of trouble, but it never, ever occured to me that i was allowed to break any rule whatsoever because i'm looking at things in a different way.
It does not relieve you from any kind of responsebility, because the person with asperger is by no means insane or crazy, just a little bit different in his or her perception.
*small note, i was diagnosed with it as well 5 years ago, and it explained a lot of trouble, but it never, ever occured to me that i was allowed to break any rule whatsoever because i'm looking at things in a different way.
Implying Chris is a threat to society? If you know him at all, you'd know he just sits in his room playing video games all day. He's only tried once to hit-and-run a man he deeply loathed.henritje said:
OT: He shouldn't be let off the hook. Asperger's doesn't determine the entirety or even the majority of one's actions.
maybe the US put INTERPOL on him (hacking into a government database is allot more serious then hacking a game development studio for beta,s)Gametek said:
also I don,t think they would find anything on his HDD,s (assuming the US has information on extraterrestrial life they wouldn't keep it in a obvious place like the Pentagon or wherever he hacked into it would be hidden in something like a porn stash or family photos of a government official)
You are right but like you said he almost ran his boss over for I think it was getting fired.TLS14 said:
To my knowledge, Aspergers is not a *compulsion* problem, like say; Narcolepsy. One is entirely beyond the control of the individual while the other is a? behavioral limitation. Aspergers no more demands someone hack into a government agency for curiosity then being male demands raping a woman for sex?s sake.
There's a big difference in not understanding social cues and outright ignoring consequential provisions. In other words, you might not know to shake my hand when I greet you, but you do know not to walk into traffic.
Take his condition with as much consideration as it deserves; not much if any.
There's a big difference in not understanding social cues and outright ignoring consequential provisions. In other words, you might not know to shake my hand when I greet you, but you do know not to walk into traffic.
Take his condition with as much consideration as it deserves; not much if any.
I actually have asspergers and as you might see I,m perfectly fine it,s idiots like Chris Chandler that makes us all look insane.Kiraxa said:
also I don,t defend the hacker he should be treated as any other person regardless of race/heritage/autism.
Dude, you best be trolling.Kiraxa said:
Anyway, I don't see why it's even considered an issue. Like many people here, I've also been diagnosed with Asperger's, and unless this guy has a particularly severe case or something else on top of it, he would be perfectly capable of telling right from wrong.
I have (genetic) Asperger's Syndrome, and whilst I call BS on the US govo (hell, pretty much ANY govo at the moment since they all seem to want to fuck over their citizens and then the world in their own way) with those figures, I do ~NOT~ believe that this "hacker" (gawd I hate that term being thrown around these days) should try and use AS as a "get out of jail free" card nor should he get pulled out of Britain (which has it's own fucking laws that don't kowtow to your own, United States) and dragged over the coals over this hyped-up BS.
AS is a "condition" that can be helped and trained around (not "cured" or any other magic-bullet fix-all people think science can provide), but most forms of medication for disabilities like ADD or ADHD can actually make things WORSE for someone with AS (or another Autism Spectrum Disorder that isn't ADD/ADHD).
AS is a "condition" that can be helped and trained around (not "cured" or any other magic-bullet fix-all people think science can provide), but most forms of medication for disabilities like ADD or ADHD can actually make things WORSE for someone with AS (or another Autism Spectrum Disorder that isn't ADD/ADHD).