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Comment by rplnt | Hacker News Reader

A theft? Do you consider all installed apps to be stealing then?

Seriously? An app that does what it says isn't stealing from you. An app that runs up your electricity bill and damages your phone without disclosing its behavior is clearly a different matter.

We're not talking about damaging the phone now. As for electricity, lousy developers steal it as well. What's the difference if the stealthy app does what it says and is reasonable about mining? The cost for user is negligible.

Edit: Just a note, I'm not saying this is OK for apps to do, but to call it a theft is ridiculous.

> As for electricity, lousy developers steal it as well. What's the difference if the stealthy app does what it says and is reasonable about mining?

I can think of at least two differences. First, the developer profits from one but not the other. Second, the developer intended one but not the other.

We evaluate the morality of accidental waste differently from that of deliberate taking for personal gain.

> We evaluate the morality of accidental waste differently from that of deliberate taking for personal gain.

On the other hand, if you look at this from another perspective, inefficient software wasting power means no one gains. If the same power was being used for mining, then someone gains. If I were forced to choose between these two alternatives, I would definitely pick the latter.

Intent matters.

And, all else being equal, if someone writes inefficient code and has bad intentions, it's even worse.

Would you thus have accidents punished more severely than intentional wrongs? Is that just?

If I make a mistake at doing my taxes and accidentally pay $1,000 less than I should is that the same as knowingly gaming the system so that I have to pay $1,000 less?

Is one of those considered stealing?

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