Word: computerizes
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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THE majority opinion ignores the ambiguities surrounding the massive computer break-in orchestrated by Morris.
Knee-jerk declarations that "Morris must be prosecuted, both to punish his unlawful actions and to deter future hackers" present a simplistic solution to complex questions that legal and computer experts and ethicists are still debating.
Pranks such as Morris' are far from being clear-cut cases for legal interpretation. They unwittingly force the authorities into a morass of confusing arguments over how to define computer crime, how to interpret the role of an intruder's intent, how to address the vulnerability of the still relatively...
Moreover, the fact that Morris's program caused no permanent damage to affected systems but instead served to expose yet another serious lapse in national computer security warrants careful consideration, rather than an impulsive call for a prison sentence.
Even the definition of "privacy" can be questioned given the current conditions of the computer field. Would one arrest a curious individual wandering through a supposedly secure building with no locks?