Kerwin wrote: >>Just call me old fashioned. I wouldn't walk into a store and slip a >>shrink wrapped CD under my jacket, and I wouldn't pirate software simply >>because It's less risky. > >But I do not believe that is the equivalent. Stealing a CD is actually >taking into your possession a physical item. Making a COPY of software >is creating something for yourself that had no physical existence before.
I guess these subtle distinctions are lost on my old brain. If making a copy lets me avoid buying a physical item, then its still stealing. Its a new and innovative way of stealing perhaps, but its still stealing. But then I'm so square that I think its stealing to download music through Napster or something similar. I hear all these rationalizations about how the companies rip off artists and consumers, but they still just sound like rationalizations to me. Lamborghini rips off consumers too, but I fight back the old fashioned way. I don't buy their product. >We are at the cusp of achieving technology that will require our >civilization to re-think its view of "economy." - - - - - - -> Within the next few >>centuries, as >technology increases and we have true "replicators," the raw materials >industries will as well. One can either embrace the change, or be stuck >in the old ways. If I'm around in a few centuries, I'll just have to cope. Meanwhile, I think that "cusp" is a relative term. I'm still stuck in the old way of thinking, and I have a dive buddy who is stuck there too. He just made a wonderful underwater video that is the first one to capture spearfishing in all its variety from Northern California clear down to Baja, and he took every bit of it freediving (breathholding). This guy put a lot of money into cameras, housings, trips, and production. He manages a dive shop and doesn't have deep pockets. His video is a big success and is selling well for something with such a limited market. But a guy came into his store last week and mentioned that everyone is a particular dive club really loved the video. My friend said he knew most members of that dive club, and didn't recall selling them videos. The guy sheepishly admitted that the guys were pirating the video. I hope you will forgive my friend if he takes an old fashioned view of this sort of thing, and thinks they are stealing from him. He is pissed, and he is not even an old fart like me. If you think its a bummer to steal from him but OK to steal from Bill Gates or the writers of Nisus, then please tell me exactly where to draw the line. I'm not too good at this moral relativism stuff, so I try to keep it simple so I can understand it. Bill ___________________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe send a mail message with a SUBJECT line of "unsubscribe" to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> or <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
