Here's a question I've been pondering for a little while now....

It takes a hacker to beat a hacker (using term loosely, especially after the whole discussion in tread http://www.antionline.com/showthrea...threadid=226228)

Now here's the question, people come and go from this site, some formulate their question and ideas in wrong manners, by either attempting social enginnering, oblivious newbie question/speach, and so on. Yet, aren't we suppose to show them the way of the ropes if they truly want to become security "guru's"?

I understand that some are just stupid people, asking retarded questions like: "how do I hack hotmail...." and have dumb reasons/excuses for their questioning.

Yet some people ask questions that are borderline and get flamed....

Which leaves to wonder, why ask... or like ASPII said: "to avoid getting flamed, don't post"

And then it leaves me thinking this....

This site denotes the mentallity and practice of hacking. But must we not know how a hacker works? I understand that some things we all agree that we should do and know about our networks, but what about writing virii? It's great that we can all buy software from McAfee or Symantec, but they never all work the best....

So, are we to be condoned on practices of things like writing viruses or decompiling?

I know that others have already been ahead of myself and others, practicing what some consider forbidden practices or taboo, which, their experiences could serve me good for the future....

What is the line in the sand that seperates permitted actions and actions of wrong?

What would make me an outcast of this culture, this community?

Here's something most people will probably condone. I have not done but figured it would be a good question. What if Joe Brown has a website. I want to use the same software a Joe Brown for my website and wanted to check the security of it. I decide to "hack" it, to check it's vulnerability and strenght, without defacing or damaging a thing? Would I be wrong in doing so, or would this be ethical?

Some things are understood to be out-of-bounds, yet, after looking over this tread (http://www.antionline.com/showthrea...threadid=226380) I'm left to ask, what are the pre-set limits?

Is hacking or being a hacker always illegal?