[elicash]

I don't think you deserve downvotes; I think it's totally plausible that some people would steal this data just to feel special.

But:

1) That's why we have traditionally had the safeguards that we have had, to protect against this sort of crime, and

2) The allegation in this case is that he later approached coworkers to do something with this data, even if they ultimately didn't help him do it. So it doesn't appear to be hoarding just for the sake of it here.

[saalweachter]

> I don't think you deserve downvotes

Speaking of things that have changed from my 20s, I also take internet points way less seriously than when I was sitting in a computer lab at 3am.

Now, I just double-check to make sure I didn't say anything I didn't want to and take it as a signal for how to be more clearly understood in the future; in this case a lot of people seemed to take what I wrote as a hypothesis about the motivation of the accused or a call for leniency, which wasn't what I was going for, but eh, live and learn.

[elicash]

The way I'm different from in my 20s is I'm more likely to assume charitable interpretations. I kinda guessed you meant it like you just stated, but wanted to add more context.