I may have missed the point of the recent inquiry. Are we discussing the chances
of getting prosecuted for sharing files, or are we talking about the morality of
doing that?
If the former, then I am certainly in full agreement with Gavin and Bill that
indeed the laws are such that probably if they want to they'll get me.
If it's the latter, then I still find it perfectly fine and in fact virtuous to
share information as widely as possible. I think I've explained earlier why I
think so, and it is in this sense, IMHO, that it is important to take into
account that we do not profit from doing that. I also think there is a big
difference between cracker-kids who are having fun with somebody's code and
researchers who have themselves participated pro bono in peer review, editing
and running the whole editorial process for those Journals.
Another metaphor that comes to my mind is the Washington Beltway, where the
posted speed limit is 55 mph. You will have to look really hard to find a car
going at that speed. The average is somewhere around 65-70. So, yes, pretty
much anybody can be prosecuted. But if you go with the flow it almost never
happens. I don't know why we need to have laws that are irrelevant and
unenforceable. Ask a lawyer.
Regards,
Alexey
--
Alexey Voinov
_____________________________________________________________________
!!!**** please note new e-mail address: aavoi...@gmail.com ****!!!
_____________________________________________________________________
Chesapeake Research Consortium Community Modeling Program &
Johns Hopkins University Dept. of Geography and Environm. Engineering
645 Contees Wharf Road, P.O. Box 28, Edgewater, MD 21037
TEL: 410 798-1283; 703 880-1178 WWW: http://www.likbez.com/AV
Fellow, Gund Institute for Ecological Economics,University of Vermont
President,Int.Envir.Modeling. and Software Soc.,http://www.iemss.org/
New book: Systems Science and Modeling for Ecological Economics
http://books.elsevier.com/companions/9780123725837
