by law. After all this, I think it is acceptable for a business that values his capabilities to offer him a job. This case will provide some enlightenment to people with skills: If they are equipped with excellent skills, these skills will bring them benefits if they do things that benefit society and conversely the same skills can bring punishment if they use them to commit crimes.

To offer a job opportunity to a convicted person with talent will help to promote morality instead of damaging it. When the law has imposed its penalty on Li, the public needs to offer him a chance of starting with a clean slate. At the same time, the government must learn a lesson from Li's case. That is it needs to pay much attention to skilled people, to prevent right skills from being abused.

Respect works both ways

Xu Chaojun (Qilu Evening News): By giving job offers to Li Jun, who was convicted of authoring the worst worm in China's Internet history, even before he began his jail time, those companies show respect for talent, but they disregard the law. I am afraid this will give rise to similar crimes and weaken the law's authority.

The law is expected to save criminals by being tolerant, but this must be based on the principle of justice and equality. Li is a computer wizard, but this cannot serve as an excuse to defy legal authority. The companies should not have offered job opportunities after the court's decision, but should instead have asked Li to join them when he had done his time. Li could really become a useful man in society once he has served his sentence.

Mao Jianguo (Changjiang Times): According to Internet security experts, the panda worm does not contain so much sophisticated technology. It's an easy job for most computer technicians to compile such a program. Li Jun's value is overestimated here. Computer technology is developing with each passing day, so when Li is released after four years' imprisonment, it's quite debatable whether he is still worth as much as the headhunters' thought.

In my opinion, Li's case is being played up. Capable men like Li are common in China, but seldom have companies provided such lucrative offers to them as in Li's case. This will probably become a misleading example: Someone becomes famous from doing the wrong thing and than gets a high-income job as a bonus. I don't know whether Li has ever thought of this possibility, but one thing is certain, that is, when Chen Ying who invented the CIH virus was employed by a computer company, an upsurge in spreading viruses was seen amongst young computer users.

Li has made apology to Internet users around the country, claiming that he did not mean to damage the Internet but to make a virus only as a hobby. I agree that Li must be provided with a way out, but not in the way we are seeing. Besides, any companies of conscience are not supposed to get involved in such cases that may mislead the public.

Liu Qingzhuan (Xinhua Daily): The panda worm has made Li Jun a well-known figure, so his value as a public figure is unmatched by other computer whiz-kids. In this case, whoever gets involved with him will also attract the public's attention, so a clever ploy on the part of the businesses putting out those opportunities. However, it seems improper and irresponsible for them to make use of Li's case to boost their popularity. They have crossed the moral line.

It's true they may become well- known by connecting themselves with Li, but this is only a temporary fame. Their unscrupulous actions will finally affect their images and harm their long-term business development.

Li Shaoqiang (www.northeast.cn): In the modern world, we cannot expect someone without legal awareness to do much good to social progress. More seriously, the more capable one is, the greater harm he may do to the world if he does not behave well.

We appreciate the businesses that offered Li a job, because they do not refuse people who have a bad record. But they actually failed to show the necessary respect for the law.

It's very important that no matter how many difficulties one has encountered in the process of jobhunting, they must not try to show their value by breaking laws. Companies that are eager for talented individuals like Li must behave responsibly to help Li's smooth rehabilitation.