In article ,
says...
I just don't answer questions about how to break into files or where to find
bogus product IDs. There's no way to tell if the OP is telling the truth or
not when they say it's their file/program. If someone else chooses to
respond, that's their choice. I choose not to take the chance of aiding and
abetting.


That would be just fine. But, that is not what you did in this
discussion. You, and others, are (a) presuming guilt and (b) preaching
about the same.

I *do* stay away from such requests. In those instances where I
respond, it is along the lines of "search google...do ensure you are OK
with IP/copyright laws..."

What I find interesting is that if one starts with the presumption of
guilt, how does one help anyone on the 'Net? Just about *any* request
could be from a student violating her/his code of conduct and asking
for help with h/w.

Any attempt to access a file could be an attempt to hack into the file
("I need to get data from a file on the network server" or "I have to
access data in a file I cannot open").

Heck, even a request to add a watermark to a document could be an
illegal act. Maybe the document was written by someone else and this
person wants to steal it and put her/his name on it!

How does one stop the paranoia if we start with the presumption of the
guilt just because we don't know the person?

--
Regards,

Tushar Mehta
www.tushar-mehta.com
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