Is this illegal

Okay, I ned some help here to see through my wine induced haze.

Is a virus illegal only if it is released with malicous (or however you spell it?) intent

Because as far as I was aware, malice is defined as being without good reason.

Therefore (and bear with my drunken ramblings here), if a terrorist organisation released a virus, with the intention of bringing down Western Commerce, it would not be a malicous act, but a well reasoned one.

Would it therefore be excempt from most anti-virus laws?

SD

I think the laws apply no matter what the intent, but will use your defense when they catch up with me for releasing NightWalker;)

Although the virus may have been release for good reason, the intention of the terrorists in releasing it was to comit a malicious act. Hence, it is still illegal.

Now shaddup, ya drunken git :p

:)

Ah, but malicious means without good reason. Therefore one could argue (drunkenly) that it is not a malicous act....

Howdy Jethor,

I haven't chatted with you in a long time. How's life in the antipodean neighbourhood?

Dag-nabbit. The wine fairy just appeared at the door. She's luring me away fom the computer with her feminine whyles and her chilled bottles of bubbly.......

I cannot resist. Sorry chaps, I'll catch up with ya's later.

SD

:)

True, but according to the laws of the countries in which the virus would be released, that is NOT good reason, therefore it is still a malicious act.

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Originally posted by Jethro
I think the laws apply no matter what the intent, but will use your defense when they catch up with me for releasing NightWalker;)

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What was that Jeff?

I think you need to look up the definition of malice when you're sober SD. In the words of Andre the Giant:

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I don't think it means what he thinks it means.

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Originally posted by cafeenman
I think you need to look up the definition of malice when you're sober SD. In the words of Andre the Giant:

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Indigo the Spainard said that.

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Originally posted by csnyder


Indigo the Sparnard said that.

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right. Sorry. Still one of my all time favorite movies even if I am going to hell for incorrectly attributing my misquote. :)

All is forgiven, but, as a fellow fan of that movie, please understand that I could not let such a gross error go uncorrected. :)

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Originally posted by csnyder
All is forgiven, but, as a fellow fan of that movie, please understand that I could not let such a gross error go uncorrected. :)

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I didn't know that you are a fellow. In any case, I'm glad you pointed it out. Most people would have let it slide and I'd get funny looks everywhere I went because it was never corrected. Now I can walk confidently in public. Thanks! :)

Any modification of files on a users computer without their consent is illegal, and, since a virus MUST modify files to spread, they are illegal =).

Z.

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Originally posted by Zaei
Any modification of files on a users computer without their consent is illegal, and, since a virus MUST modify files to spread, they are illegal =).

Z.

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Which has absolutely nothing to do with Mr. Reiner.

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Originally posted by Nightwalker83



What was that Jeff?

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Dang that was a private convo between me and SD, he's used the party line again eh.......


G'day SD, how's things ... er ... he's fallen asleep on the couch...

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Originally posted by cafeenman
I think you need to look up the definition of malice when you're sober SD. In the words of Andre the Giant:

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Er, I think it does.

A quote from dictionary.com

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3. (Law)With wicked or mischievous intentions or motives; wrongful and done intentionally without just cause or excuse; as, a malicious act.

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So if I wrote a virus to embezzel funds by stealing peoples bank account details, that would be a fairly just excuse in my books.

P.S. I also checked the meaning with Miracle Max.

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Originally posted by Jethro


Dang that was a private convo between me and SD, he's used the party line again eh.......


G'day SD, how's things ... er ... he's fallen asleep on the couch...

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G'Day Jethro!

Suffering from a bit of a hangover this morning. Got to go to a barbie at my mum and dads this afternoon. So more boozing in the sunshine. Man my life is so tough. :)

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Originally posted by Zaei
Any modification of files on a users computer without their consent is illegal, and, since a virus MUST modify files to spread, they are illegal =).

Z.

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So does that mean that Bearshare installing BoniBuddy or whatever it is, is illegal?

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Inigo: True love. You heard him. You could not ask for a more noble cause than that.
Max: Sonny, true love is the greatest thing in the world. Except for a nice MLT, a mutton, lettuce and tomato sandwich, where the mutton is nice and lean and the tomato is ripe. They're so perky, I love that. But that's not what he said. He distinctly said "to blave." And, as we all know, "to blave" means "to bluff." So you're probably playing cards, and he cheated…

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Originally posted by SurfDemon
wrongful and done intentionally without just cause or excuse

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Nice try, buddy. You have to use the whole definition, not just the words you want. :) Might work though.

:)

I was using the fully definition.

Boolean logic.... AND

[quote]With wicked or mischievous intentions or motives; wrongful and done intentionally without just cause or excuse; as, a malicious act. [quote]

Now, if that was an OR, it would be different. But as it is that seems pretty clear to me.

Of course that opens up the definition of "Just Cause" or "Excuse". But you could also argue that it doesn't say "Good Excuse". So when the judge say "Do you have an Excuse?", you could say "Yes, It was a Monday and I don't like Mondays!" :)

I have seen the error in my thinking. I agree that you should use that defense. The jury will surely unanimously decide that you're not guilty. :)