Hi there, While it is interesting to debate this I don't think this forum was meant for this. If we are talking about furthering Open Source among LDS developers I think we need to respect the charter of this mailinglist. So please take this offlist and discuss this somewhere else.
Kind regards, Manfred Riem [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.manorrock.org/ Founding Java Champion -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Shawn Willden Sent: Tuesday, October 24, 2006 7:09 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Ldsoss] Boy Scouts get a "Respect Copyrights" activity badge On Tuesday 24 October 2006 05:38, Steven McCown wrote: > Even if you think that it *should* be okay to illegally download music > and videos, at the moment it is not. At this moment it's also illegal to watch legally-purchased DVDs on Linux. Or to rip them and store them on a MythTV video jukebox for more convenient watching (and so that your two year-old doesn't destroy them). For that matter, by the letter of the law it's arguably illegal to convert your CDs to MP3s for listening on your iPod. This subject needs a more nuanced treatment than simply "obey the law". Laws can be and often are wrong. There are many examples throughout history of laws that were horribly immoral. The requirement that laws be obeyed implicitly assumes that the laws are righteous -- it's just another example of the principle of righteous dominion. We are commanded by the Lord to follow the guidance of the leaders placed over us (fathers, husbands, bishops, etc.), but their right to command is contingent upon their righteousness. Unrighteous commands need not, and *should* not be obeyed. In this case, I think it's clear that downloading music and movies rather than paying for them is wrong, but I think the media cartels are also doing evil -- arguably the greater evil. And I think the biggest problem with this notion of an anti-piracy patch for boy scouts is that its requirements are entirely one-sided. I would have no objection to an official BSA badge of some sort that required the scout to understand both sides of copyright law. It should cover not only the exclusive rights granted to the holder, but also the exemptions built into the system (Fair Use, doctrine of first sale, etc.), and, further, the rationale and social contract underylying the notion of copyright. Such a badge would help them obtain respect for copyright law and what it's supposed to do, which would deter piracy, and would equip them to discuss whether or not current law actually fulfills those goals. That would be of value to scouts. As presently defined, the patch is of negative value. It's propaganda, not education. Shawn. _______________________________________________ Ldsoss mailing list [email protected] http://lists.ldsoss.org/mailman/listinfo/ldsoss _______________________________________________ Ldsoss mailing list [email protected] http://lists.ldsoss.org/mailman/listinfo/ldsoss
