Stealing the Internet to play this game

[CovertBeaver]

Are you aware that one of the moderators of this site is stealing the Internet in order to play this game? I understand that playing online games can be fun and addicting, but really, stealing the Internet? Is it really worth it? You are going to tie up all of the tubes.

http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/8667098p-8559268c.html

[Jamie]

Hmm, Alaska, could it be AK_iceman? Shame on you AK_iceman. Stealing from a library. Figures it would be one of them Bushwacker hoes.

[RobinJ]

I'd love to know who that is - come on - spill the beans...

[Jamie]

I'd love to know who that is - come on - spill the beans...

I said who it most likely is in the post above yours??

[Captain Crash]

But is making use of what is broadcast on an unsecured, unidentified system, kinda like free to air TV or radio, really stealing?

If whoever it is 'hacked' in to a secure network then sure, but more than likely it was not a secured network and hence was just being used for its intended purpose...allowing public access and use of the internet.

[ab327]

lol

it's pretty addicting

does anyone actually use that word? ha

[Molacole]

free publicity for lack lol

[spinwizard]

LOL is that 4 real...haha lmao!!!!!!!!!

[Stopper]

Now that is a dedicated moderator!

[mercury7]

Now that is a dedicated moderator!

"He's a moderator on an online gaming site, conquerclub.com, where he plays a game similar to the board game Risk.

"It's pretty addicting," he said. "

so true

[spinwizard]

lol

[spinwizard]

I'm going to be very busy for the next few weeks, so PM Hugh.G.Rection for Tournament Privs if you don't want to wait forever.
Thanks

LOL he said this a few weeks ago!

[neoni]

this makes me like the site more

[tahitiwahini]

If it's not true, then the referenced article is one of the most nefarious forgeries since the ones that cost Dan Rather his job at 60 Minutes over the Memogate scandal.

There are some things about the article that don't sound quite right to me.

Firstly, the libraries where I live offer public wi-fi internet access. There's no restriction that I am aware of about not accessing the system from outside the library building itself.

MCPL offers wireless access to the Internet via the Library’s network. This Wi-Fi service is available to anyone who brings his own properly configured equipment to the library.

There are time of use restrictions (in MCPL's case 180 minutes per day), but they are geared toward making sure that as many as people as possible have access to the system.

Q. Are there any restrictions on my use of the Internet?
A. Yes. The Library’s Wi-Fi Service draws upon the resources of MCPL’s central network. In the interest of supporting the many demands on the network, these service parameters are in effect:
• Each user may have access for a maximum of 180 minutes per day, per device. This time can be used in a single session, or spread out over multiple sessions during the day.
• The Wi-Fi Service will support a maximum of 20 simultaneous users per branch.

It's hard to imagine the library would complain under the circumstances set out in the article.

Secondly, there is the issue of he original poster, CovertBeaver. I was curious how someone would have found this article so quickly. It turns out that CovertBeaver joined the site on 25 Feb 2007, that is today:

http://www.conquerclub.com/forum/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=62933

Then, there's the fact that this is his only post and he has never played a game.

This sets my suspicion meter off.

If this were April first, I would definitely know what to think.... as it is I reserve judgement until further facts are in.

[spinwizard]

i agree, it sounds abit fishy

[Nobunaga]

... It's possible somebody read the news, checked out the site, joined, posted, and just took off. I mean it IS free to join.

[tahitiwahini]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks this sounds like something from The Onion.

"It was kind of like, 'Well gee whiz, come on,' " police Lt. Tom Remaley said.

What kind of cop talks like this? Is this guy moonlighting from Reno 911?

Also, the article has a wealth of details that could only be gleaned from talking to Tanner or his parents. If this had happened to you, would you be talking to a newspaper reporter?

Finally, the library administrator, Jeanne Novosad, also appears in this article:

http://www.wolfsongalaska.org/wolfdogs_disallow_palmer.html

I'm guessing Anchorage, Alaska is the new humor capital of the world, and nobody told me.

[tahitiwahini]

Tanner, 21, was using the library's wireless Internet connection.

Either way, Tanner's Internet usage has been curtailed. He's got a home computer, but his parents don't let him on the Web after 9 p.m. He's been using computers at the library during the day.

The guy's 21 and his parentls don't let him on the Web after 9 p.m.?

Again, I suspect he's being set up by one of his diabolical (albeit fiendishly clever) friends.

Covert Beaver, indeed!

I'm not this credulous, sorry.

[CovertBeaver]

I found the article so quickly because I get the Anchorage Daily News delivered and that article was on the front page of the Alaska section of Saturday's paper. I haven't posted here before because I had not heard of this site until I read about it in that article.

The person discussed in the article, Brian Tanner, is AK_iceman per
http://conquerclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=50720&highlight=tanner#50720
He seems to be out snowboarding and will not be back until Monday per
http://conquerclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=245922&highlight=#245922

I posted this here because the article amused me and I figured if you get caught "stealing the Internet" and the gaming forum you moderate is mentioned in the article about it, then said article should be brought to the attention of said forum for additional amusement.

After doing some research on the matter, I am a little less amused. When I read the article, I thought first of all that I would not have let the police seize my laptop like that, I would think they would need a warrant, but I am not entirely sure on that point. Additionally, I don't recall ever going to the Palmer library, it is 45 minutes away, but from reading the article it appears he was accessing the library's unsecured wireless network. It seems absurd to me that they might possibly charge him with a crime for accessing an unsecured wireless network, but apparently it has happened. For example, this much publicized story from 2005: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/07/07/tech/main707361.shtml
I didn't find anything about that case actually going to trial.

I also just found this video from the local news about someone wardriving in Palmer, I am wondering if it is AK_iceman also. The link is http://www.ktuu.com/Global/category.asp?C=89489&nav=menu510_2_11
then search or scroll down to "Internet snoops".

So, I just posted this because I thought it was funny, but I hope it works out well for you AK_iceman.

Also, that I don't think that wolf hybrid article is satire. There was an article in the paper a few days ago about a wolf or something similar snatching up small dogs and I used to have a friend in Anchorage who had a husky-wolf mix.

And yeah, if your parents won't let you access the Web after 9, it might be time to move out.

[MeDeFe]

Yeah, that struck me as strange, too, but if they've set timeframe during which he can log in at home (thank the GSD we have a router now), well... not impossible, but not likely either. And anyone stupid enough not to protect their wifi network deserves anything they get.

[alster]

Hmmm.... well... the article do seem to be on the newspaper's website. Brian, Brian.... this is hilarious...

My God... But it is quite an unlikely thing to be charged for. I "steal" Internet access all the time. The old friend "default" is a classical one. I figure if people have open networks, it's ok to use them. I leave my own wireless open as well if people wish to use it. If for nothing else, it will be my defense if for some unlikely reason anyone would charge me for file sharing. I can always say, hey, the wireless is open, and since I'm not exactly running a nuclear plant, I'm not subject to strict liability with respect what happens with it.

But it sounds strange the whole thing. After all, Brian is working extra in the family business, some kind of computer business. So, no. It sounds weird. Nevertheless, I'm laughing my ass of over here!

[Backglass]

Don't believe everything you read...even in a newspaper.

[neoni]

why would a story about a web designer and a library make the front page???

[tahitiwahini]

Well I would be rotflmao, but even though my derriere is quite petite I simply don't have that much floor space...

This is simply incredible. Now I'm regretting all the time I spent trying to figure out how the hoax was perpetrated.

All I've get left to say is this: the crime rate must be pretty low in Anchorage if this is what gets local law enforcement's attention.

Sorry about your computer being confiscated, Brian. But as for the odds of a successful prosecution it seems laughable to me. First the Wi-Fi access at the public library is meant to be for public access (that's its purpose as far as I understand it). Plus, whether he used it at the time in question or not, it had no discrernable effect on the cost borne by the city for providing such free Wi-Fi access. That is to say, there are absolutely no damages.

As for getting access by WAR-driving around, the phrase "attractive nuisance" comes to mind.

Good luck with your case. Good grief what's the world coming to.

[Guiscard]

edit: doesn't matter, needed to enable cookies.

All I can say now I've read it is... hmm... WTF!?!?

Does seem a little fishy