vermiscripters beware

Over on Slate, Steven E. Landsburg applies a cost-benefit analysis to this prickly question: Should we execute the "worms who write worms?"

His answer, after a little (admittedly rough) mathematical jiggery-hoo, is an unequivocal "you betcha."

So, virus authors, worm writers, password stealers, and trojan inflicters, watch your back. Sheriff Landsburg's got a long lasso and a short temper.