# Roommate tampering with my computer

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roommate-tampering-with-my-computer/174621>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [May 12, 2003, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roommate-tampering-with-my-computer/174621 "2003-05-12T04:26:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![RodneyH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/50afbb/32.png) [@RodneyH](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RodneyH)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roommate-tampering-with-my-computer/174621/1 "2003-05-12T04:26:07Z")

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My roommate tampered with my computer. Duh, right? Now…I have him (or someone who just happens to spell as badly as he does and uses the same unique handle) spilling the beans about what he did to my computer on [techcomedy.com](http://techcomedy.com). My question is…do I have any legal recourse here? I’ve looked around some, and I’ve found very little useful information.

Can any of you help me out?

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**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roommate-tampering-with-my-computer/174621/2 "2003-05-12T04:38:29Z")

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This is a trick, right? It’s really your roommate, not you who posted this in CS.

Haj

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**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roommate-tampering-with-my-computer/174621/3 "2003-05-12T04:40:21Z")

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Um, get a new roommate?

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**Author:** ![Mr\_Sherbet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@Mr\_Sherbet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Sherbet)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roommate-tampering-with-my-computer/174621/4 "2003-05-12T12:54:09Z")

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If he posted it on TechComedy it must be funny…

Spill!

And then you can post your story on [ShavingRoomMatesHead.com](http://ShavingRoomMatesHead.com) when your done.

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**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roommate-tampering-with-my-computer/174621/5 "2003-05-12T13:35:17Z")

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It’s unlikely it’d be worth your effort to sue; you aren’t likely to get enough to pay for the lawyer’s time.

For now, password protect your computer. Put on a BIOS password and he won’t be able to do anything (well, unless he’s a real techie and knows how to remove it).

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**Author:** ![CRorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CRorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CRorex)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roommate-tampering-with-my-computer/174621/6 "2003-05-12T15:05:19Z")

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Sledgehammer + testicles = re-educated roommate.

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**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roommate-tampering-with-my-computer/174621/7 "2003-05-12T15:54:14Z")

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[Techcomedy.com](http://Techcomedy.com), that’s some pretty funny stuff, and so true!