Anonymous targets Sony

[QUOTE="frostybanana"][QUOTE="MrSelf-Destruct"] The lot of these guys aren't *ahem" programmers, though. Most of them are just spammers and trolls. A few of them come up with a way to hurt somebody and the rest of them fall in line posting information, spamming websites, trolling youtube videos, and making nasty phone calls like a bunch of mindless drones who can't think or act by themselves. They aren't standing up for anything. They are just conforming to a different system. I think its pretty pathetic.

MrSelf-Destruct

Well, to you it isn't.

Listen, I'm not saying that I'm gonna go out and destroy Sony's servers. I'm just saying that from a programmer's standpoint, and having the experience in hacking that Anonymous has, I think their act is somewhat impressive. But that doesn't mean I'm gonna go out and join them.

To people like us, it's awesome. Sorry, but it is.

I am all for creative people developing new content, expressing themselves, and finding new uses for tech. But Anon isn't doing this to open a door, they're doing this to be obnoxious, and because they can. Calling them "impressive"... well... Let's take a look at that word...

McCarthyism? Impressive.

Nazi Germany? Impressive.

Stalinist Russia? Impressive.

Iran-Contra? Impressive.

9-11? Impressive.

All of these events were amazing mobilizations of thought and deed. The efficiency and "success" boggles the mind. Lots of things, when viewed without a trace of morality, can be described by that word. But the fact is, when innocents are harmed they are still monstrous and unconscionable, and in no way excusable by any stretch of the imagination.

Please read the above sentences again, because I don't want anyone getting in my face and saying what these guys are doing is nothing like what happened in Germany or Russia or NYC.

I'M WELL AWARE OF THAT FACT.

I would never trivialize anything I have listed above. I'm pointing out that being "impressed" by these actions is perhaps not what you meant to say. I'm not "impressed" by these murderous, horrible events I listed above because they effected my life directly. I lost family to the Nazi regime, and I lost six close friends on the NYFD when a building fell on them and drove them and the Hook & Ladder engine they were in seven floors into the ground, not to be found for months and when they did, it was only parts. Not even enough to bury, of some.

MonkeySpot

No, impressed is exactly what I meant to say. You ARE comparing these hackers with murderous terrorists. In fact, you go on to make direct analogies to the terrorists. And that is simply far too extreme an analogy in this case. And seriously, the PS3's processor can guide an ICBM? What does that have to do with anything? There are more far more powerful processors in the world and you think someone's going to manipulate a gaming system for something like that? That, quite frankly, is absurd. You could say the same thing about any computer.

Furthermore, you can complain about all the stuff Sony will potentially do after they actually do it. Before then, it's just speculation and there's no reason to think it's even going to get to that point. Prolexic has always been one step ahead of Anon and I doubt they'll get much farther than they usually do against them.

You're talking about collateral damage and them hanging me out to dry but apart from having to manually sign into PSN, I haven't been affected at all. So I could care less what they're trying to do and I can be impressed with them all I want from being able to do what they've done so far. Don't try and guilt trip me into saying otherwise, this is NOT like 9/11, this is NOT like Nazi Germany and this is NOT like Stalinist Russia. This is about video games and electronics. That's all. Not oppressing and murdering a group of people. You can say "don't jump down my throat for making the comparison" but you're entire post is LADEN with such comparisons. There is no comparison to be made. It's a completely different situation.

You seem to be the one getting riled up about Anonymous, which is exactly what they want you to do. You're claiming that they're wasting their time attacking something as ridiculous as video game company. But what are you doing? You're sitting their complaining about them doing so. Isn't that JUST as much a waste of time? Whether you realize it or not, you and the dozens of other people complaining about Anon are only fueling the fire they made. The truth of the matter is Prolexic will probably keep them at bay and keep them from doing any serious damage. And yet, people are still giving them attention. That's the waste of time right there.

Last time I checked, PSN wasn't down. Some of Sony's webpages are down for "maintenance" but apart from that, nothing serious has happened yet. So there's nothing to complain about. And there really isn't any reason to think that it'll get much worse apart from a few threats that are being made by Anon.