Software Developer Beats Pirate in Boxing Ring 347
utki writes "The Moscow Times is reporting that the chief software architect at Russian software developer
Cognitive Technologies, Andrei Smirnov, recently won a boxing match organized between himself and a software pirate he caught selling bootlegged software CD's at a Moscow market. At last, a practical and entertaining model for dealing with software piracy (MPAA and RIAA take note), and perhaps a useful way to channel Steve Ballmer's aggression too."
Re:remember kids: (Score:5, Insightful)
Yar Matey (Score:3, Insightful)
Nerd Rage at it's finest - what exactly was the positive side of this for either of them?
Only thing I can think of is a cheap publicity stunt....
Re:remember kids: (Score:5, Insightful)
No it wouldn't. Continuing the fight was the pirate's idea (no idea who started it). It's poetic justice that the thug who wanted to keep fighting got a beating for it.
Of course, I much prefer living in a country where the cops tell both sides to cool it off, but maybe that's just me.
OT: Sig (Score:3, Insightful)
Ballmerized (Score:3, Insightful)
Chair throwing is more of a pro-wrestling thing than a boxing thing last I checked...
Re:remember kids: (Score:3, Insightful)
There's nothing wrong with two guys having a 'good clean fight.' We should see more of it. The US has gotten to the point where if you're angry at somebody then it's assumed there's something wrong with you.
A good sporting match (boxing, basketball, whatever) is a great way to get some aggression out.
Re:remember kids: (Score:5, Insightful)
Fighting a bully has two very important results:
1) Staving off the bully. Not always permanantly, but at least 'for a while.'
2) Building self-respect and confidence in the child defending his/herself.
(2) is must more long-lasting than (1), and therefore much more imporant IMHO. While you may stop the bully from fighting you by calling the police, you've now likely unleashed *years* of being called a 'tattle' and 'baby' by not only the bullies, but others who will view your actions as weak or 'weird.' Thus making a bad situation worse. Can you call the cops for children making fun of you? No. You can't always rely on others, but you *can* rely on yourself.
I had my bully in grade-school. Every year he would pick a fight with me, or tease me, or whatever. Every year my mother told me to go "punch him in the nose" and I would. He'd lay off for a year or so, and I'd do it again. Every time I fought back I felt better about myself. Not because I liked fighting (far from it), but like a "man" I defended my right to exist without help from others. Sure I got hurt. But that only lasted short amount of time. The confidence I recieved, however, has lasted much longer. To this day I'm not afraid to fight back either verbally or physically, though I prefer verbally. I wasn't taught to be violent, but to have self respect and not let others walk all over me.
I welcome a counter argument, but I'm unlikely to be swayed. I've heard many people say "I wish I'd fought back" on some matter, and I've *never* heard anybody say "wow, I should have just run for help rather than arguing back."
Re:remember kids: (Score:4, Insightful)
O: What do you mean I can't smoke this joint on the street?
P: It's illegal.
O: Well, what do you think about that law?
P: I'm just doing my job.
O: What do you mean I'm trespassing?!?!
P: You're staging a sit-in in the presidents office.
O: So??? Don't you think we should be allowed to do that?
P: Hey man, I'm just doing my job.
O: Are you seriously telling me I'm not allowed to drive 120mph in a 35 zone?
P:
Maybe if you'd stop breaking the law, you wouldn't end up "on the other side of the argument"? Just a thought...
FYI, whether it's cops, soldiers, firefighters, or EMT's, none of them are likely to express their personal or political beleifs to you while in uniform. The reason for it simple and should be obvious; the organizations involved don't want that one individuals opinion to be blown out of proportion and made to reflect badly on the entire organizaton. What would be the media response if a handful of cops or soldiers went around telling anyone who would listen that "all ragheads should die" or that "there's nothing wrong with snorting the occasional line"?
All the left wing organizations could learn a thing or two from that. The main problem with their image is that, while the majority may be quite moderate, the extreme views of a few individuals get all the media time, and reflect badly on everyone associated with them.
Re:remember kids: (Score:5, Insightful)
The sorts of people who want to solve their problems by beating the shit out of each other don't care whether it's legal or not -- they're going to do it ANYWAY. And guess what -- we ALREADY pay, as a society, for the injuries sustained in street brawls.
The only difference here, is that by making street fighting legal, we no longer have to pay to INCARCERATE the participants. Obviously this SAVES us money.
Re:The problem is... (Score:3, Insightful)
The problem is that some people are smart enough to use tools. When you use tools in a fight, it becomes a whole different issue. Perticularly when those of us that are patient and have good stratigic skill get involved. Unless for some reason you feel that we should encourage physical size over intelligence, and rash behavior over good planning.
The problem is that some people are intelligent but have no common sense. It's all about moderation, why can't you be both intelligent and physically capable? Strategic and responsive? Society's undertow to discourage intelligence and/or physical prowess is a disturbing trend that I hope we will grow out of one day.
And never ever take a tool to a fight, the chance of you losing and having it used againt you is far to high for it to be an 'intelligent' choice.
Re:remember kids: (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:remember kids: (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:remember kids: (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:remember kids: (Score:3, Insightful)
If the school won't handle the problem, then what are you supposed to do? Out in the real world, if someone attacks you, you have a legal right to defend yourself. Why is school different? (Actually, the answer is that they're trying to train you to be a good little sheeple who will take the abuse and suffer the inequities of life quietly. This is opposed to the private schools rich kids get to go to, where they focus on teaching you to rule the masses.)
If you can catch him at it, then you can report it to the cops, and they will do something. Adult life is not like school. School is an environment in which they seek to eliminate your spirit and, again, teach you to be a good drone. It teaches conformity and neglects critical thinking... deliberately.
Now, I am in favor of the complete legalization of marijuana for all purposes, subject to more or less the same restrictions as alcohol, but you have to realize that growing pot in an urban setting in which you live with or near people who are likely to expose you makes you a fucking idiot. I know that's kind of tangential to your point but please, there must be a better example.
I wish I had felt like it was that acceptable in school. The fact that I didn't is probably why I defend it now. School was fucking hell for me.
I used to get picked on quite a bit, never a real ass-kicking because the violence was motivated [I suspect] by fear (I have been bigger than just about everybody since, oh, junior high) but kicked here, hit here, knocked on my ass there. A kid finally picked a one on one fight with me and didn't stop when I got mad and I kicked the shit out of him. Then I got expelled from the school, because my mother was the type to avoid problems rather than face them. I lost a lot of respect for both her and the entire public school system when that happened.
Violence is not a very good answer, but sometimes it's the only answer. I personally think that the real crime is that people are punished for using violence to solve problems that the powers-that-be won't help them with when it's clear that they're being fucked over. I understand that encouraging or appearing to encourage vigilanteism is inappropriate, but it's not as inappropriate as letting people be abused because they can't legally fight back. (The laws in California are especially fucking ridiculous in this regard.)
Re:Violence is generally not the answer (Score:3, Insightful)
I don't know if a fight is more severe and dangerous than bullying. A fight hurts, but even the loser usually gets over it pretty quick, at least at the grade school level. Bullying, however, causes severe emotional stress over a prolonged period.
That one fight might have prevented far more damage than it caused.
Re:remember kids: (Score:3, Insightful)
Throughout school, I was tiny, and so bullied non-stop. I tried every method there was, from telling someone, to ignore it, to being a smart-ass, to fighting back. And every time I fought back, I got the crap kicked out of me. And despite the Disney-esque feel good visions of those who think fighting back makes a bully respect you, the reality is that they laugh and do the same exact thing the next day. Only thing that ever worked to get rid of any bullies was when a girlfriend of one saw him beating on me in a hall, and ripped into him.
If a kid fights back because they're being bullied, then yes, back them up on it. But also teach them there are other ways. Idiotic violence shouldn't be there first response.
Am I a wuss today because I learned that going ballistic and being a violent idiot wouldn't solve anything? No. I stick up for myself, and tell others where to stick it quite frequently. If someone is beating their kid, or being a racist prick within my sight or hearing, I do something about it. If I see kids being bullied, I step in. My stepping in teaches them that there is someone else out there who will help them, they're not alone in the world. And maybe one day they'll return the favour. Teaching them that the only way to solve your problems is by physically fighting back doesn't instill any more self-confidence than teaching them there are idiots in the world, and sometimes it's better to just walk away and laugh or pity them. Self-confidence should come from inside someone, in their own abilities, and not from the ability to kick someone's ass to get rid of a "problem." The bullies don't stop bullying, and there will always be another out there to take their place. Violence will get returned, and rarely makes any point. Especially when the kid you've taught this to does it at age 18, and gets thrown in jail for attempted murder.
Do I think this will change anyone's mind? No. Because some people have decided that violence, or smashing someone's head into a locker, is the only way, despite the fact that all evidence proves there are no weapons of mass destruction.... wait... different issue...
Re:When did we drink the Kool-Aid? (Score:3, Insightful)
A long time ago; it's even more firmly embedded in popular usage than 'hacker'.
This battle has been fought and lost, and slashdot rants aren't going to fix that. That's what makes it not just a propaganda machine, but a good propaganda machine.
Re:remember kids: (Score:3, Insightful)
Obviously you mis-judged my point a bit (or are attacking a straw-man). But that may have been my fault as I never mentioned that this isn't a "blanket condition." Obviously one should only fight back when it's a valid option. Two kids on a playground - sure. A guy with a gun vs. me? No, sorry.
Other than that we 'mostly' agree I think. What pisses me off is the "tell you kid to never fight" crowd. You fought and you lost. But you *fought*. There's a big difference between somebody who won't defend themself and somebody who will fight a losing battle. Sure there are other options. Sometimes they need to be taken (example above: gun vs. me). But teach the kid *all* of their options. Including fighting when necessary.
Re:Violence is generally not the answer (Score:5, Insightful)
If somebody has beaten and bloodied you in order to steal your money or possessions and attempts to do so again, then beating and bloodying them when attacked (not as a retributive move) could not possibly be seen as excessive force.
If they choose to escalate further from there, and somebody were to say, put a bullet in their head in self-defense, then it is entirely justified too. The police are there to protect and serve, but they can't watch your back every minute. Self-defense from violent criminals is a constitutionally-guaranteed right (this is coming from a fairly liberal Democrat too, though I am admittedly pro-Second Amendment, within a reasonable context).
Re:remember kids: (Score:3, Insightful)
If he had just downloaded something and got caught for that I might have agreed, but not when he is actually selling the stuff to people on the street.
Re:remember kids: (Score:2, Insightful)
Bullies are bullies because they are confident that any direct, immediate confrontation is likely to be in their favor and that in light of this obvious fact the victim is bound to save everyone the effort and just take it. In my own experience, bullies seldom act alone-- the ones I've known always had one or two hangers-on for backup muscle. Fighting back under what is clearly a deliberate, artificial circumstance controlled by your assailant is stupid. How's that for a counter-argument?
My own advice to anyone facing a bully is to use your brain, because you can rest assured that the bully is using his (or hers). Contrary to the stupid-bully stereotype, I've found bullies to be both motivated and calculating. Instead of physical confrontation, I've found it to be more effective to simply find a way to alter the situation so that the motivation either isn't there or the intention is redirected towards something else. If you think about it for an hour or so, you can usually come up with a list of things to try. This is self-reliance too, and it doesn't necessitate resorting to violence.
You may have to not carry a wallet for a cell phone for a while since you're running the risk of having it stripped off you, or you might have to actually talk (not argue, TALK) to someone you don't understand or like very much. Find ways of altering the situation so that the bully is no longer in control of it and making the prospect of dealing with you in the future distasteful or uninteresting.
It's not as dramatic as being a "man" or "defending my right to exist without help from others". All that just sounds like a infantile platitude from a cheesy Western (or Disney film). NO ONE exists without help from others, especially where real violence and mortal threat are realities (such as in the military). It appeals to our vanity to imagine that we can stand alone, but 99 times out of 100 that's a lie used to excuse bad behavior.
Committing violence always has consequences that reach beyond a specific altercation. How's that for a life lesson for your kids? To say nothing of the spiritual/emotional/psychological harm you risk to yourself in committing a violent act, consider, as you walk away from the prone bully you just beat the crap out of, how easy your address will be to find in a phone book 10 years from now, and how much damage $40 worth of gasoline can do to your life. Because the TRUTH is, we are NEVER alone, for better or worse.
I don't expect to change your mind, just offering an alternative to bad philosophy.
Re:remember kids: (Score:1, Insightful)
What? What kind of wuss are you? Sticks and stones, man. Grow up.
Re:remember kids: (Score:3, Insightful)
During High School, I was in the sum total of 2 fights. Both were with people I dealt with on a regular basis. I'm rather skinny, and as the resident "computer geek", people figured I was on the weak side. I'm also 6'10" (not too big a secret), and have a 720 pound leg press (you can't tell by looking).
The first issue I had was with a wrestler in choir class (don't ask). He kept hounding me, harassing me verbally, and after a couple of months, I was tired of it. I informed him that if he did not stop, I would throw him headfirst in the large garbage can nearby. He didn't stop, I kept my promise, and he left me alone after that.
The second case involved a guy on the JV football team. We had known each other for years, and he felt that I was "full of it", in that I refused to put up with the crap he would try to do to me. One night, he finally had two of his friends holding my arms behind my back while he was going to headbutt me (cliché, but accurate). I kicked him in in the gut, wrestled free of the two guys holding my arms behind me, and held him in a headlock until he nearly passed out (long arms provide plenty of leverage, and because of the height differences, he could only elbow me in the hips). Took 4 people to seperate us. We actually got along fine after that, and it seemed to be that he respected that I didn't put up with his crap simply because I didn't need to.
Does 2 fights in High School make me a violent person? Perhaps. In both cases, history showed that had I not dealt with the issue, and simply ran away, or tried to avoid it, it would have continued. If nothing else, "leave me alone or I beat the crap out of you" provides a decent deterrant if the other guy is unarmed.
Re:remember kids: (Score:3, Insightful)
As you say, while it's not ok to go around looking for a figth, that doesn't mean you have to accept *anything*. It's allowed defending yourself.
Many kids don't really know that they're allowed and indeed encouraged to break "rules" when the situation warrants it. They think the rules apply all the time.
I once had to try to calm down a 13 year old girl that had, on purpose, thrown a chair trough a window to get out in a fire. (the windows of the room she was in, on the ground-floor where locked to stop burglars, and there was so much smoke in the adjacent room that she did not dare go trough there -- a correct decision btw)
She was terrified that her parents would be pissed off at her for breaking the window. Yeah, sure she wasn't thinking clearly because of the panic and extreme stress-level. But it was really amazingly hard to get her to understand that not only would she certainly not be punished for breaking the window, but indeed we all, and certainly her parents would too, thougth she did exactly the rigth thing.
I was just amazed she'd managed, it's not as easy throwing anything trough a window as most people think, especially not when you're 12. I'd be fucking proud/b of my kid if she'd proven that even in an emergency she can think clearly. She even put a blanket over the shards and crabbed out without a scratch for crying out loud.
I'm Russian and here are three observations (Score:3, Insightful)
2. Piracy is a more complex problem than you Americans think. Many do not have money to buy licensed software. It's often simply not an option, period. This is why software piracy is so prevalent and accepted here.
3. If you want a personal perspective on video piracy, have a look at my review [vad1.com]. When I did buy licensed DVDs, they were of lower quality than pirated ones more often than not.
I'm not advocating anything, just trying to state the state of the facts.