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Mailing List Logs for ShadowRN

Message no. 1
From: Todd Montgomery <tmont@****.WVU.EDU>
Subject: Programming Languages Legality
Date: Thu, 29 Jul 1993 20:07:07 -0400
For Robert Watkins,

TO clear up what is Illegal about the languages. Matrix Equipment
(specifically cyberdecks are illegal, highly illegal in fact).
Programs are illegal, to quote Shadowtech, pg 104:

Category CD: Class D Matrix Technology
This includes all unregistered cyberdecks and Matrix program software.
Special licenses are available to legitimate, registered security and
law-enforcement agencies.

Possession of this stuff gets you 8,000Y and 2 yrs.

So I classified the languages and libraries as matrix programming
software. I mentioned that permits can be acquired for languages and
libraries.

I am glad you liked the post.

Another thing came to me as I was writing the post. A library file
would really make a great Shadowrun, OR payment for a decker.

Hey, maybe there is something there. Its forming, its forming....

OH! back to work!

-- Quiktek
-- Todd Montgomery
tmont@****.wvu.edu
tmont@***.wvu.edu
un032507@*******.wvnet.edu
Message no. 2
From: Robert Watkins <bob@**.NTU.EDU.AU>
Subject: Re: Programming Languages Legality
Date: Fri, 30 Jul 1993 13:45:06 +0930
Yeah, and I've never really understood it.

The only reason I can think of why at least some Matrix programs would be
illegal would be paranoia(sp?). Ah, yes, of course. That explains it.

More seriously, there must be SOME programs that are legal. Otherwise people
wouldn't be able to initiate data base searches, or download music or video, or
even be able to connect to the matrix without a permit. And if there are some
programs that are legal, reasonably, some programming tools must be lethal.

An analogy: There are literally hundreds of various lethal chemicals out there,
and many more illegal ones. Now, a goodly portion of these (especially the
illegal ones), can be made with a home chemistry kit. A classic example would
be amphetimines. However, possession, and even use of, the kit is not illegal.
Making amphetimines is.

--
Robert Watkins
bob@******.cs.ntu.edu.au
************ It wouldn't be luck if you could get out of life alive. ***********

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These messages were posted a long time ago on a mailing list far, far away. The copyright to their contents probably lies with the original authors of the individual messages, but since they were published in an electronic forum that anyone could subscribe to, and the logs were available to subscribers and most likely non-subscribers as well, it's felt that re-publishing them here is a kind of public service.

Thwap!