Long time no see / general question

Hey everyone, its been quite a while. Just popping in to say hello. I'm curious to know if there is anyone I know still hanging around these parts of the interwebz? Anyways, I also was thinking recently about the whole hacker culture and how people generally are hesitant to teach others computer security stuff like exploits, how one gains access to another's machine, gaining database access, etc. usually for the purpose of better securing their own equipment. I guess my question is, have you experienced this / is this still often the case? And also, if you've found this to be true, why do you think this is the case?

I just think its interesting, because I've been studying computers for more years than I can remember, and sometimes my feeling of the whole secretive, people not sharing info, etc. makes me feel like there's something I'm missing even though I know quite a bit. I guess its just like, "well no one has shared any of these super-secret secrets with me, maybe that's why I think I'd make a horrible hacker". You know what I mean? Or is it just me? I'm not sure how much freedom of speech there is on this forum, so I'm not going to share my general thought process on how someone would gain access to a machine, but I do feel it would help the discussion. Ok, I'm done rambling.

Hi there metguru, I am still around when time permits................hell! why does both your roof and central heating boiler decide to leak at the same time, and that's when it's pretty close to midwinter?

Anyways, enough of my personal minor problems (excuse for turning to the bottle :drink:) :D

I have no idea what things are like where you are; but over here there was this change from what I would call "mischief, vandalism, fun, showing off" and so forth, and all of a sudden it all seemed to go to internet crime.

Of course, the politicos seized on this and legislated without knowing what the hell they were dealing with or talking about...................

This removed the distinction between lads having a laugh and serious criminals, so the penalties were the same?

So; I guess that's why we have today's situation?

Basically, you don't tell anybody about that sort of thing unless you have a letter of appointment and are charging them $1,000 per day + expenses. There are some sites where you can discuss vulnerabilities; but these are private, invitation only places, if you know what I mean?

What I am trying to say, metguru, is that it's not us, the computer guys; it's society, big business, the media, the criminal fraternity, the politicians (ah! sorry, I just mentioned them didn't I) and the rest, that have brought things to this state.

Anyways, Happy New Year to you and yours!

Johnno

Thanks, nihi, I always appreciate your insight. Are central boilers common in your area? And it seems like life only gets busier and busier for me. My last couple of years at undergrad were pretty crazy, and graduate school turned out to be like a full time job and a half (or more).

I guess I'm too young to have seen any transition in the mischievous stuff to internet crime. I remember ILOVEYOU and Mydoom but not much else from the earlier days when everyone began using the internet.