> Or imagine two guys named Steve would not have been allowed to tinker with hardware in 1976 (because the makers of the parts would not allow "unlocking" the hardware).
This example kinda goes against your argument since the Steves faced exactly the situation you're claiming might have stopped them.
The Steves who later founded Apple got their start with phone phreaking which was illegal at the time, despite being something you do with your own phone. But making it illegal didn't stop them -- it was more of a motivating factor.
We should emphasize that he essentially got away with the hacking, too. Incomplete coverage in the enforcement of a law bears no relation to the quality of that law.
This example kinda goes against your argument since the Steves faced exactly the situation you're claiming might have stopped them.
The Steves who later founded Apple got their start with phone phreaking which was illegal at the time, despite being something you do with your own phone. But making it illegal didn't stop them -- it was more of a motivating factor.
http://www.uproxx.com/gammasquad/2010/09/jobs-and-woz-were-p...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_box