Is it getting harder financially or is it just me?

[meadandale]

“Another analogy for the wireless signal would be if my neighbor had a really bright porchlight that spilled into my back yard. Would it be stealing if I sit and read on my back porch using the light from his yard?”

Another poor analogy, sure.

[meadandale]

“Another analogy for the wireless signal would be if my neighbor had a really bright porchlight that spilled into my back yard. Would it be stealing if I sit and read on my back porch using the light from his yard?”

Another poor analogy, sure.

[kewp]

As a network security engineer, I can comment that in the state of California, unauthorized use of a wireless access point is considered theft of service and is a felony.

[kewp]

As a network security engineer, I can comment that in the state of California, unauthorized use of a wireless access point is considered theft of service and is a felony.

[no_such_reality]

Where are you getting your income stats, NSR?

2005 U.S. Census Bureau American Factfinder. Family income, not household income.

[no_such_reality]

Where are you getting your income stats, NSR?

2005 U.S. Census Bureau American Factfinder. Family income, not household income.

[CBad]

Wow, just wow. I’d like to change my answer from you’re not doing anything “wrong” to yes, you are clearly doing something WRONG. Rationalize your lemonade all you want but you are stealing and you know it. Keep up the tithing; I hear inmates find their faith very comforting.

[CBad]

Wow, just wow. I’d like to change my answer from you’re not doing anything “wrong” to yes, you are clearly doing something WRONG. Rationalize your lemonade all you want but you are stealing and you know it. Keep up the tithing; I hear inmates find their faith very comforting.

[beanmaestro]

I remember hearing at some point that you are legally allowed to receive unencrypted signals broadcast onto your property. Now, to actually use the internet, you have to uplink your queries, but I’m curious how receive-only works.

However, as to the ethics of it, donating $50 a month to charity rather than paying it to the cable company sounds like net-mitzvah to me, even if I’m a shareholder. Also, if following the Torah and Mishnah is one’s ethical priority, I doubt we’re going to find anything about not violating the California Penal Code. Besides, the Jews here are coming from an upbringing where we were *encouraged* to argue about the law and scripture.

On a completely different topic, I’m still surprised by your tax load. My wife and I have an AGI (after 401k, HCRA) around $110k, and last year paid $14k in federal taxes, $6k in state, $9k in welfare tax, with the standard deductions and no kids. That’s $29k out of $110k, about 26% (and only 21% of gross pay); I don’t find that to be terribly onerous (except for the war my taxes are funding). I know you pay double the welfare tax, but you should be writing off $20k-30k in business expenses, and paying a good bit less than us…

[beanmaestro]

I remember hearing at some point that you are legally allowed to receive unencrypted signals broadcast onto your property. Now, to actually use the internet, you have to uplink your queries, but I’m curious how receive-only works.

However, as to the ethics of it, donating $50 a month to charity rather than paying it to the cable company sounds like net-mitzvah to me, even if I’m a shareholder. Also, if following the Torah and Mishnah is one’s ethical priority, I doubt we’re going to find anything about not violating the California Penal Code. Besides, the Jews here are coming from an upbringing where we were *encouraged* to argue about the law and scripture.

On a completely different topic, I’m still surprised by your tax load. My wife and I have an AGI (after 401k, HCRA) around $110k, and last year paid $14k in federal taxes, $6k in state, $9k in welfare tax, with the standard deductions and no kids. That’s $29k out of $110k, about 26% (and only 21% of gross pay); I don’t find that to be terribly onerous (except for the war my taxes are funding). I know you pay double the welfare tax, but you should be writing off $20k-30k in business expenses, and paying a good bit less than us…

[jennyo]

Beanmaestro, please forgive my ignorance, but what is the welfare tax?

[jennyo]

Beanmaestro, please forgive my ignorance, but what is the welfare tax?

[El Jefe]

EJ, I think that the controlling phrase is “…person not authorized by that provider…”

Actually… the fine print in the acceptable use policy of just about all RESIDENTIAL service providers strictly prohibits the use of any user supplied IP translation devices (routers/access points), unless of course you spring for their “networking package”, which is usually crippled to 2 or 4 systems total.

Just about everyone who has more than 1 computer and their own router in their house is in violation of their ISP’s contract.

If we really want to split hairs here, everyone with a router should legally be paying for either several IP addresses, or the ISP supplied networking package.

To the OP… I’ll gladly trade you access on my Access Point for some lemons.

[El Jefe]

EJ, I think that the controlling phrase is “…person not authorized by that provider…”

Actually… the fine print in the acceptable use policy of just about all RESIDENTIAL service providers strictly prohibits the use of any user supplied IP translation devices (routers/access points), unless of course you spring for their “networking package”, which is usually crippled to 2 or 4 systems total.

Just about everyone who has more than 1 computer and their own router in their house is in violation of their ISP’s contract.

If we really want to split hairs here, everyone with a router should legally be paying for either several IP addresses, or the ISP supplied networking package.

To the OP… I’ll gladly trade you access on my Access Point for some lemons.

[kewp]

I remember hearing at some point that you are legally allowed to receive unencrypted signals broadcast onto your property. Now, to actually use the internet, you have to uplink your queries, but I’m curious how receive-only works.

California computer crime legislation is still relatively new and hasn’t exactly been tested all that well.

Feel free to read up on it:

http://calwater.ca.gov/cpc502.shtml

Especially (7) Knowingly and without permission accesses or causes to be accessed any computer, computer system, or computer network.

It might actually be a misdemeanor, not a felony however.

[Author]

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