On the other hand, the fact that this punishment is a felony record is just a little bit pathetic (c.f. Aaron Swartz).
You don't get in that much trouble for trespassing IRL.
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felony_disenfranchisement#Unite...
IMHO it rightfully should. Considering you can get felony sex offender (a double whammy) status for taking a leak in a dark alley, the word needs to lose all connotation that it means anything beyond "actions a bureaucrat, not necessarily a reasonable person, really doesn't like for whatever reason".
[1] http://www.threefeloniesaday.com/Youtoo/tabid/86/Default.asp...
You're not faced with losing your ability to vote, no chances to acquire work, hundreds of millions of dollars of debt, decades of jail time, etc.
You know anything involving a jail sentence of over a year is a felony, right? You seem to think felony crimes all carry a life sentence or somesuch.
Actually, I did NOT know that... part of me thought it couldn't be right. But here you go: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/3559 Thanks.
There is in fact no such thing as non-felony computer trespassing. Which was kind of my point, your snark aside.
Point being that there are differences and pretending they don't exist doesn't help anyone. The metaphor is extremely useful, but it's a start for understanding and usefully engaging, not the end.
The problem I have is that this decision as written is very poorly worded and therefore has no business being law.