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News Ex-Intel engineer pleads guilty to IP theft

Discussion in 'Article Discussion' started by brumgrunt, 10 Apr 2012.

  1. John_T

    John_T Minimodder

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    I don't really understand all the people talking about paedophiles, rapists, murderers and the like. Is your point that because one crime doesn't get punished properly, all other crimes should therefore be treated too leniently as well? That's not really logical is it.

    I'd like some of those people 'cured' with a twenty foot length of rope too, but just because they aren't doesn't mean I want everyone else given a light slap on the wrist either. They're two separate issues.

    mclean007, I think you're actually missing the point. He may not have got away with it, but the intention was there. If I were to walk up to you and stab you in the chest with a carving knife, but by your good fortune I didn't manage to harm you because the knife caught on, say, a mobile phone in your jacket pocket - would you be happy for me to get away without severe punishment, just because I had tried to harm you but failed? The intention is everything.

    People saying this is 'only money' and 'only corporate theft', well, tens of thousands of peoples jobs are at stake with things like this, that's tens of thousands of lives and families being supported. Yes Intel has some very rich staff and owners, but most staff will be on ordinary wages - and most of the company will be owned by pension funds, who are owned by millions of ordinary pensioners needing it to pay their pensions.

    He didn't copy a few songs that get played freely on the radio anyway, or download a few TV programmes that get aired anyway - this was hard-core industrial espionage. Also, let's be honest about why he did it: He didn't do it to 'help' AMD, he did it thinking it would further his own career and personal income.

    A long sentence won't be so much for him, more as to try and act as a deterrent to stop other people attempting the same thing....
     
  2. Drekz

    Drekz What's a Dremel?

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    This article just goes to show you, amongst many of the other things, that AMD just aren't in any position anymore.
     
  3. SexyHyde

    SexyHyde Minimodder

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    its more to do with pointing out that the justice system is not just or fair. by pointing this out at every opportunity people become aware of it and it doesn't get worse.

    maybe intel should go to prison for a few decades. after all they did prevent amd from gaining market share, growing their business, employing more people & creating products to boost economy - oh and having the money to put into r&d so as to remain competitive.

    and stop bashing amd! the fact that they are still here making products that are competitive with intel despite everything that has happened is amazing. yes amd are not competitive in the gaming sector anymore but guess what, if they had gone all out to keep you chimps happy they would no doubt be bust by now.
     
  4. fluxtatic

    fluxtatic What's a Dremel?

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    True, but if this had damaged Intel to that degree, you think their first thought would be "We have to take care of our people"? No, it'd be "Oh, shi- this is going to hurt this quarter's numbers. Let the layoffs begin!"

    I'm not saying he should get leniency because the scumbag that raped and murdered Mia Zapata in the street only got 36 years, of which he'll likely serve 20 or less. I'm saying decades (even two) isn't right when there were no fruits of the crime.

    You know how mobs work? The more people you add, the faster the collective IQ drops? This is a corporation. You've now legally incorporated a "person", whose sole goal in life is not family, helping the community, all those things that make a person a person. Rather, that goal is profit. The brain of this "person" is a board, of wealthy A-types who got to those positions by stepping on other people. Given their role as the brain of this money golem, nothing else matters. Not the people actually putting the work in, not the customers as long as they keep them satisfied enough to keep spending their money, not the shareholders to the extent that they stay satisfied enough to not boot the board and replace them.

    Look at the Ford Pinto back in the '70s. Ford knew it was dangerous and would likely result in some number of deaths. The lawyers and accountants got together and crunched the numbers and worked it out where the likely number of deaths and the resulting settlements and lawsuits would cost less than a recall. So a lot of people died because Ford's #1 priority was (and still is) PROFIT!!! Is this the sort of "person" you would want living next door to you? That you would marry? That you want teaching your children in school?

    Intel is sitting on how many billions of dollars? What have they done for the communities where they operate? Sure, given a lot of people jobs, but is that enough? Are we back to serfdom, where the feudal lord allows us to work his land and erect a shack on that land, and in exchange he holds off the barbarians (aka poverty)?

    And pension? Yes, they have one, but it isn't like pensions used to be. It looks like the bulk of retirement benefits are tied up in a 401(k), aka free-market investments. Investments which lead to monsters like Intel. How much of that 401(k) is plowed right back into Intel shares, leading to trickery where it would appear Intel has X cash, when in fact, a lot of that money needs to be divided by 2 or three - if I move a dollar from my left pocket to my right, I don't have two dollars. If I have slick corporate accountants, though, I could show I have, in fact, four dollars. And for a reasonable fee I'd let you buy a little piece of the magic money machine in my pants (wait, uh...)

    /screed
     
  5. John_T

    John_T Minimodder

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    If it were up to me someone would have gone to prison for that. Unfortunately, it's not up to me.

    I assume you'd stopped talking to me at this point and were now talking to someone else? Absolutely nothing that I said was negative to AMD in any way, shape or form.
     
  6. John_T

    John_T Minimodder

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    That's precisely the point: One man trying to further his own career could have led to very large numbers of people losing their jobs. In this current economy, there's no guarantee even highly skilled and experienced people like those working for Intel will find new jobs any time soon.

    How many of those would then lose their homes? How many of their kids would then get taken out of good schools and end up in rubbish ones, blighting their entire futures? Would some families end up breaking up under the stress?

    I'm just pointing out that it's not a small crime and that it does have consequences that stretch beyond pounds and pence, (or dollars).


    I'm not saying I necessarily agree with 20 years, but I just don't think some people appreciate the seriousness of what he tried to do - or the potential ramifications had he succeeded. It was an attempt at a major crime that could have affected a very large number of people - I think it does deserve a major punishment. The fact he wasn't able to get away with it seems rather beside the point...

    As for the rest of what you said, it's probably a little off-topic to discuss here - though I would say that each case (person/company) should be judged on its own merits, not judged upon what someone else did thirty years earlier. The sins of the father & all that...
     
  7. MjFrosty

    MjFrosty Minimodder

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    What an ignorant muppet.
     
  8. longweight

    longweight Possibly Longbeard.

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    Who are you calling an ignorant muppet?
     
  9. west

    west What's a Dremel?

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    @John_T
    +1
     
  10. SexyHyde

    SexyHyde Minimodder

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    you assume correctly dear watson. it was me being lazy/tired to input the other quote.

    i think the thing with your argument about jobs is, if he had got away with it then amd would have likely had to hire more staff creating just as many jobs as he would have destroyed. in many ways i think he would have created more jobs, as with the revenue intel take, they would have more than likely just threw more money at r&d. not justifying his actions, just saying they MIGHT not be as bad as you deduce.
     
  11. Fizzban

    Fizzban Man of Many Typos

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    Maybe if he hadn't balls'ed it up AMD would be able to give Intel a run for their money. Would be a better situation for the consumer, no?

    And don't give me no dewy eyed Justicar waffle either. I'm not saying he was right. Frankly I don't care. All this 'a crime is a crime no matter what' is only a weak argument. So what if people lost their jobs? So what if it is theft? Corporations do this everyday and we accept it because supposedly it is lawful..bollocks. The law is what the government want it to be, not what it should be.

    I say argue that rape and murder should carry the highest punishment. Everything else is secondary, no matter how you pretty it up. Theft is minor compared to those. Period. The scale of the theft is nothing compared to a life or the ruination of a life. If you think otherwise you need to seriously take a look at yourself.
     
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  12. SexyHyde

    SexyHyde Minimodder

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    the law is what the people who donate the most want it to be. and the people with most more are exempt from much of the law. its mainly a way of controlling the lower classes by the upper classes.
     
  13. MjFrosty

    MjFrosty Minimodder

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    Oh I don't know, maybe the ex employee in the report I was commenting on?

    Jeez self obsessed much.
     
  14. longweight

    longweight Possibly Longbeard.

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    And that is obvious because? I didn't take it to mean me I was trying to decipher your one sentence comment.
     
  15. 3lusive

    3lusive Minimodder

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    He basically copy and pasted a few powerpoints and spreadsheets, and is now facing years in jail. Got to love justice in America.
     
  16. MjFrosty

    MjFrosty Minimodder

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    Not sure if serious? Who else singularly would I be talking about? Unless you're insinuating someone else's comment was ignorant?

    ;>
     
  17. jb0

    jb0 Minimodder

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    Or drove off with the equivalent of an entire truckload of processor designs and technical documents. Same difference.
     
  18. E_Spaghetti

    E_Spaghetti What's a Dremel?

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    What is wrong with you Marxist pitchfork wielding anti capitalists? You sound like some old hippie that needs a shower. Get a life and quit bitching about "corporations" Without them you would be able get your fricking government handout....aka..healthcare, welfare, food program, education, wipe your ass and whatever else you loser piece of **** beggars think you deserve...You brain washed communist ****ing leaches..go **** yourselves...as always..have nice day.

    And this folks, is the perfect way to earn yourself a free holiday from Bit-tech, where for several days we send you to other parts of the internet. - spec
     
    Last edited by a moderator: 16 Apr 2012
  19. SexyHyde

    SexyHyde Minimodder

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    the bit i like the most is this "Without them you wouldn't be able get your fricking government handout" well the thing is these big corporations do every tax dodge there is to pay as little tax as possible. take one of the ftse 100 i just found
    pre tax profit : £1,469m
    notional tax at 30% : £441m
    tax cash paid : £23m
    reported tax charge : £26m
    tax paid as % of pretax profit : 1% [YES 1%]

    now i'm getting back on my horse, to rant about these corporations because i pay my taxes and im guessing nearly half of it is collected by the tax man. there is a reason governments are going after tax dodging corporations..................... why is it again................. oh yeah its because they can't afford to pay for "healthcare, welfare, food program, education, wipe your ass and whatever else you loser piece of **** beggars think you deserve" because the corporations ain't paying there FAIR share of taxes.
    now i dont know whether your a troll or just stupid but if you are going to have strong opinions about something it would help if you had an idea and did some research. "have a nice day"
     
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