> This strategy doesn't make sense. What was the end goal? To have the other person keep buying new computers.
I would assume it was to interfere with the other student's research. That other person almost certainly had data on the destroyed computers that he either lost completely, or had to do extra work to recover when they failed.
The goal was definitely to impede the other researcher's work, and I can imagine a few possible reasons for that. In descending order of probability, interpersonal conflict (in my experience, graduate students in the same lab tend to either become best friends or hate each other, with little in-between), trying to beat the other student to the punch w.r.t publication, or good ol' schizophrenic delusions that the person's work needs to be stopped (mid 20's is a pretty standard age for onset in men).
> interpersonal conflict
low probability in this case because this guy seems a repeat offender but absolutely things can get that toxic and ugly
> trying to beat the other student to the punch w.r.t publication,
this is my highest suspicion. Why is anxiety. Deep anxiety. Anxiety about failing. Anxiety about the other guy beating you. Sabotaging other guys's computer alleviates the anxiety so thusly becomes a repeat pattern. Anxiety can be quite insidious and nasty and is more pervasive in more ways than many are aware.
> good ol' schizophrenic delusions that the person's work needs to be stopped
possible but more rare
Overall I think we need a lot more cameras in a lot more places. Their presence should be the default, but their feeds should not be monitored if there isn't a reported crime or a suspicion of one. I am not saying that the government should have default access to these feeds either.
A camera also helps exonerate someone who is not guilty, which is not an unimportant benefit.
A society that abides by its own laws should require police to keep their bodycams operative, under severe penalty.
We aren't that good, but being videotaped by civilians is moving the needle slightly, making them more accountable. It's the reason George Floyd's murders were (surprisingly) convicted.
It's not just to catch criminals. It's also to free those who get unfairly witch-hunted and accused of a crime when the evidence (camera) shows otherwise.
Readit News
https://web.archive.org/web/20251209222458/https://ieeexplor...
via
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37089387158
https://hackerwarehouse.com/product/usb-kill-v4/
> When plugged in power is taken from the USB power lines, multiplied, and discharged into the data lines, typically disabling an unprotected device.
I would assume it was to interfere with the other student's research. That other person almost certainly had data on the destroyed computers that he either lost completely, or had to do extra work to recover when they failed.
> trying to beat the other student to the punch w.r.t publication, this is my highest suspicion. Why is anxiety. Deep anxiety. Anxiety about failing. Anxiety about the other guy beating you. Sabotaging other guys's computer alleviates the anxiety so thusly becomes a repeat pattern. Anxiety can be quite insidious and nasty and is more pervasive in more ways than many are aware.
> good ol' schizophrenic delusions that the person's work needs to be stopped possible but more rare
Trying to understand the root cause motivation of people with mental illness is usually futile and almost always fruitless
Without the email-wall
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A camera also helps exonerate someone who is not guilty, which is not an unimportant benefit.
A society that abides by its own laws should require police to keep their bodycams operative, under severe penalty.
We aren't that good, but being videotaped by civilians is moving the needle slightly, making them more accountable. It's the reason George Floyd's murders were (surprisingly) convicted.
I’m instantly suspicious when I see a random phone charger plugged in a common area.
AR glasses are perpetually just around the corner. Everyone will be streaming video all the time.
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