You are correct that it is impossible to always know the intent of folks we help here. And I honestly really do enjoy helping people (if I'm able) no matter what their project, usually.

But it leaves a really bad taste in my mouth when it is obvious beyond reasonable coincidence that someone is just planning on cut-n-pasting my assistance into a script that's going to be put to fraudulent or distasteful use. What I consider to be distasteful is my own opinion, and I'm entitled to it. ...and in fact, I may even share it once in awhile.

At any rate, if I personally feel that my advice is going to be put to improper use, I'm going to refrain from providing it. I'm not going to always know, nor will I always care. But if a node, or group of nodes really rub(s) me the wrong way, and I vocally refrain from providing a solution, I don't care if others think I'm doing anyone a disservice by abstaining or not; I've made my choice. Nobody has a right to my free advice, unless I offer it to them.

Regarding the freedom of speech discussion, yes, free speech is protected (thankfully) in the USA, but don't mistake the right to free speech with the right to speak freely in any forum the speaker chooses. The latter is not a protected right, under the US constitution. And lets not get all worked up politically anyway, this is PerlMonks, not the Town Hall. To say that my refraining from offering a solution is a form of censorship, akin to what goes on in countries that don't have protection of freedom of speech... is a load of crap. Deciding to not give an answer hasn't impeded anyone else's freedom to do so, plus, as I already mentioned, this "community" doesn't have to protect free speech anyway; free speech is protected under the US Constitution, but free choice of forum for speech isn't protected nor guaranteed.

This guy just happened to make a lot of people suspicious of his motives. And a lot of consciencious individuals chose not to become facilitators in his deviant plan. It's not a big deal... If he's creative and bright, he'll figure it out for himself anyway, and if not, one less script-kiddy trying to muck up the Net.


Dave

In reply to Re: Information sharing by davido
in thread Information sharing by dragonchild

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