Re: CD of all Files on Asimov

[nathan@visi.com (Nathan Mates)]

In article <519rvb$mv5@crl8.crl.com>, Joe Kohn <joko@crl.com> wrote:
>I feel that your time would be much better spent in investigating what we 
>have to do, and who we have to contact, to get Asimov shut down once and 
>for all. All I know is that it is the FBI who concerns itself with the 
>electronic distribution of stolen property. 

   You're right. Take a look at http://www.fbi.gov/compcrim.htm
I quote some relevant sections:

--- Begin quoting from  http://www.fbi.gov/compcrim.htm

The FBI's National Computer Crime Squad (NCCS) investigates violations
of the Federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986. These crimes
cross multiple state or international boundaries. Violations of the
Computer Fraud and Abuse Act include intrusions into government,
financial, most medical, and Federal interest computers. Federal
interest computers are defined by law as two or more computers
involved in the criminal offense, which are located in different
states. Therefore, a commercial computer which is the victim of an
intrusion coming from another state is a "Federal interest" computer.

COMPUTER CRIMES THE NCCS INVESTIGATES INCLUDE -

     Intrusions of the Public Switched Network (the telephone company) 
     Major computer network intrusions 
     Network integrity violations 
     Privacy violations 
     Industrial espionage 
     Pirated computer software 
     Other crimes where the computer is a major factor in committing
       the criminal offense
--- End quoting

   As long as a computer outside the same state as asimov (somewhere
on the East coast, probably close to Washington DC) can grab pirated
computer software, the FBI can knock on the front door.

   I think it is time that a number of us go down to the local FBI
office (conveniently listed at the front of the phone book) and tell
them about asimov. They can forward on the reports. With a bunch of
reports, and such a cut and dried case as this, and the friendly
government agents with big guns and enough testosterone to do another
Rambo movie will come a knockin'.

   By the way, Sir-Tech software is _SELLING_ Wizardry 1-3 and 5.
Take a look at http://sir-tech.com/store/catalog.cgi PC versions are
still available, and the company is making them. Asimov has copies as
of 9/12/96, 1348PDT. This was reported to Sir-Tech a few days ago, so
wiping those disks now won't do anything-- they know. Their legal team
would to help the FBI shut down those who are cutting into their
well-deserved revenue. Plus, there's tons of evidence on
www.dejanews.com showing that Asimov's had Wizardry for months, so
even if you just manage to conveniently crash the disk into a lake,
you're still liable.

   To the maintainers of Asimov and all other pirate sites. This is
your LAST warning. Nuke the contents, NOW. No backups, no moving the
contents to another site. The site must disappear before Saturday,
September 14th, 1996, or you'll be facing a number of problems, the
least of which is sharing a jail cell with 'Bubba.'

   This is a war; you're on the wrong side. Surrender now, and repent
of your ways. True repentence is not just saying "I was wrong," it is
turning 180 degrees from your earlier actions and never doing them
again.

   [Yes, I'm placing myself on the front line of this war. However,
visi.com has very competent admins. You even think about breaking in,
expect a LOT more trouble than just piracy charges.]

Nathan Mates
--
<*> Nathan Mates http://www.visi.com/~nathan/      <*>
# What are the facts? Again and again and again-- what are the _facts_?
# Shun wishful thinking, avoid opinion, care not what the neighbors
# think-- what are the facts, and to how many decimal places?  -R.A. Heinlein