Intentions matter. The 'provided as-is' helps cover the author for unintended behaviors that are a result of some non desired bug.

You can't just update your extensively used code to add some ransomware or virus and be let off the hook because you warned users in a text file. The legal system will check what did you know and what your intentions were.

In this case, not that the author did a bad attack, but it's still a jerk move when the intention was uniquely to disrupt others and break things.

Well, at least in the United States, it's the default the other way (there are implied warranties) unless licensed otherwise. That's exactly what most open source licenses do to protect the author. That being said, I could imagine in some jurisdictions, the law limits the ability for people to disclaim such warranties. It would be an interesting case.

> Says who?

law

EDIT: At lest in some places.