While I think that resigning is stupid here, asserting that "punishment doesn't deter crime" is just absurd. It does!
And it pays off in cases like this, I'll be talking with someone about a topic like the seriousness of a vulnerability, they disagree, that's fine no need to convince me, you won't. And then it turns out they're left-leaning abolitionists who are against the idea of jails.
Many such cases, on the other hand I'll be disagreeing with someone on business strategy, and two lines later they reveal that they think taxation is theft. I can rest easy and ignore them.
Respectfully, that’s not a very “hacker” way of seeing the world. Hackers learn from their mistakes and adapt. (Just like this software company is doing.)
Punishment does not deter crime. The threat of punishment does to a degree.
IOW, most people will be unaware of a person being sent to prison for years until and unless they have committed a similar offense. But everyone is aware of repercussions possible should they violate known criminal laws.
If the topic becomes questioning century old traditions like jails, taxes, or war, like we're about to revolutionaze humankind, I'm out.