Author: Robert Hyatt
Date: 03:32:25 07/24/98
Go up one level in this thread
On July 22, 1998 at 19:11:20, Dan Homan wrote: >Bob, you say this in only a question of legality and not of >right and wrong. If this is so, why post on this topic? Everyone >seems to agree that software piracy is illegal. I think it is a >question of right and wrong and that is what the whole set of these >threads is about. > I posted a response for *one* reason. It is one thing to steal from a program developer by giving copies of his for-sale program to friends or others. It is *something else* to attempt to justify such behavior as "it is ok, because I only gave a *few* copies away." I don't buy that "stealing a little is ok, while stealing a lot is bad." I believe that "stealing anything is bad, and was brought up that way as a child, and have brought my children up that way as well." You could invite *my* family to your house, and leave quarters, dollar bills, 20 dollar bills and 100 dollar bills laying around everywhere, and when we left, everything would still be where you left it, quarters included. Others here would have you believe that "I only took your quarters or your dollar bills, but didn't take the *big* ones, so I really didn't do anything wrong." I don't buy that. The discussion went on longer than it should have, but it is an important issue. I am a firm believer in "zero tolerance" which is making an impact in big-city crime (New York started this, but Birmingham has followed their lead) by saying "we will tolerate *no* crime at all". Not, "we will tolerate minor crimes but won't tolerate big crimes." Because everyone has now figured out that those that commit small crimes today commit bigger ones next week, and even bigger ones next year. Best to stop it *today*. >Right and wrong, however, are not as black and white a "legal >and illegal". The definition of right and wrong is based on >morality, which is both a personal and a social matter. It is >a complexity that you are ignoring completely by quoting licensing >agreements and laws.... legality is not the question - everyone >knows it is illegal, everyone concedes that it is illegal. > >The question is: Is it right? (IMHO no, it is not, but I do not >loose much sleep over Frenando's copy of the out-of-print Sargon V) >If you are arguing that illegal == wrong, that is cool, although >some might disagree. Some might also wonder if all wrongs are >equally wrong. Is J-walking as bad as speeding? Is speeding as >bad as drunk driving? Etc... > - Dan The sargon copy was not the issue for me. It was "it is ok for me to make copies of Ed's Rebel and give them to my close friends." *That* was the point I didn't agree with, at any level. Old programs I don't care about as much, although if it is still being sold, it is still stealing. But *new* programs? Have *you* given copies of things away? Probably not. Neither have I. My brother lives one mile from me. We both have computers. We have *both* bought everything on them, excepting for a couple of things he has on his that were provided by his employer (yes, he has a license for them). If a friend would ask me for a free copy, I'd simply say "no, that is a commercial program and giving copies away violates the license agreement." and that would be the end of it. Should he get mad, tough. I'd also say "no" if he asked me to visit a local convenience store and steal him a 6-pack of beer too. Most would think stealing the beer is a real crime. But that's only 10 bucks or so, compared to software that sells for over a hundred bucks. So why the hesitation to steal a 6-pack, but it's ok to steal a few hundred bucks worth of software? I don't get the difference. Maybe that's what's wrong with the world today. *too many* don't get the difference. Yet they raise hell when they go out to mow their lawn and find their mower missing. :)
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