[Ham-80211] Re: ham-80211 Digest, Vol 3, Issue 3

[VA7AA]

Darryl...Jeff

I only answered the question as is was presented in it's simplest form...
"it legal to..."  The question really has many grey shades to it... but if
your not careful the situation could easily spin out of control... Take the
following scenario....

On the way to a weekend convention, you blow into town with your laptop...
you wanna check your email get some last minute instructions and log into
what you *think* is the published local "hotspot" downtown.... the hotspot
is down but unknowingly you accidentally log into a private corporate system
where the admin has forgotten to enable security. The companies well placed
grand-pooh-bah who knows just enough about computers to be dangerous happens
to be in the office and sees the activity...and you out the window on your
laptop... he freaks and 5 min later the cops descend on you with guns drawn.
Two hours later, you spinning with disbelief, are appearing before a
magistrate, not in your fancy $500 suit but handcuffed and in orange prison
coveralls. Your computer is seized as "evidence"  ...and your million dollar
presentation, planned for that very afternoon, is blown.

An extreme example... you bet... but could it happen? ... yes I believe it
could... very easily.  Law enforcement tends to arrest (sometimes even
shoot) first and ask questions later...usually much later...  so be very
careful with what you think is "free".

73
Richard
VA7AA