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Really there's nothing to be proud of about writing programs to kick people off a system - that's called being an asshole - or distributing warez, that's called stealing. I'd hope people learning about technology today can do it without needing to do those 'subversive' things...

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It's not about learning about technology. It provided a creative and social outlet for an ostracized, emotionally neglected kid to create. I look at my own 10yo daughter today and her life is planned out for her. Kids don't ride bikes after school, climb trees, or do other activities where they're in charge. Instead they go to whatever extracurricular activities their parents signed them up for. In her case that's choir, piano, and tennis. There is a lack of self-directed outlets where they can explore their boundaries until later in life.

Her life is planned out by whom, though - she's your daughter, if you think she wants to be out riding her bike, why are you signing her up for and sending her to extracurricular activities? And there are plenty of self-directed outlets on the Internet that aren't illegal.

I can see I'm getting downvoted here, and I may have been a bit harsh, but it still seems like people are saying the equivalent of 'I got started in my career by breaking into abandoned buildings, impersonating security guards to get access to people's private offices, and stealing office supplies when I was younger' but the end result still doesn't justify the initial actions or crimes.

Square alert!

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