RE: Morality and Pirated Software

>>My point is that if you buy something you should be able to do whatever =
you=20
want with it.<<

...as long as you agree to the consequences of your actions with said =
item.  I agree with this wholeheartedly.  But then again, it is statements =
like this that leave loopholes for what we're discussing now: pirated =
software and file sharing.

I'll admit right off the bat that I've obtained some software through =
products such as Napster, WinMX, etc.  Am I proud of it?  No.  Do I =
continue to do it?  No.  Do you have the right to do it?  Absolutely.

In a discussion such as this, all analogies are off.  It's a passionate =
and hot topic, so someone can easily pick through whatever analogy you =
might be able to come up with.  The easier of them being the comparison of =
a truck to software.  You can loan your truck to a friend, but during that =
period you no longer have use of it.  You can loan your software to a =
friend, and not only do they get the benefits of the software, you retain =
your software as well.

Obviously software licenses come into play as well.  They range from your =
run-of-the-mill single-user consumer licenses to your uber company-wide =
licenses.  Believe it or not, it is perfectly legal for a company to give =
software to their employees for use on their home computer, so long as the =
software is used for company activities.  Does that cross any lines?  =
Anyone have thoughts on that?

Morality questions are always good topics for debate, and I've seen MANY =
good viewpoints on this particular issue from both sides.  That being =
said, I'm also very impressed at how individuals have stood by their =
viewpoints throughout the discussion... it's a hard thing to find these =
days, I've come to find.

Martin Clifford
Homepage: http://www.completesource.net
Developer's Forums: http://www.completesource.net/forums/

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