Napster are equally at fault
So you think these guys aren't making a buck and are not aware of the frenzy of pirate activity on their board....right and the Kennedys aren't gun shy.
Yes Napster can be held at fault. During the Masters of Deception bust a Games Book company...don't have the details with me but the company was Steve something Games....were raided by the FBI for having one Telco document on one of their servers. The precedent is there to be used.
Invitro just cause you caren't afford it is no arguement
Ok the company l work for uses Win98/NT4/Unix/Windows2000 and runs Office 97, Office 2000, Universe,SB+, vb5, Delphi (whatever, who cares).
At home l got Win98, vb5, Office 97.
I would love to upgrade to Win2000, vb6, Office 2000, Universe for Windows, and SB+...but caren't afford it:(:(:(
Now l have access to the cds at work, so could quite merrily take them home and load them to my machine...BUT...this is illegal and morally wrong.
Just coz you caren't afford software doesn't mean you have an arguement for stealing it. Now clearly coz your on this board you too write software, presupposing your not aa hobbist and give the stuff away, how would you feel is some one made copies of your programs and distributed it via Napster.
No matter hoe trivial your Software App is, it is still your intellectual property, and unless you place it in the public domain, (which l have for a few programs), no one has the right to copy and abuse it.
Ok using the VCR answer noone
If l tape a movie at home off the TV no one is going to get too upset and prosecute me for it. If l use two VCRs to copy a video movie and then rent it out, l am liable for prosecution and will get done if discovered.
Microsoft etc are aware of the amount of piracy out there, review the new install procedures for Office2000. They have made every effort to accomodate people with Student versions, learning versions etc. However it still is a crime to rip off some ones software.
Getting back to the Napster thing. These guys are aware of what is going on through their sites. If illegal stuff is being traded back and forward, they have a requirement to stamp it out. Personally l don't care either way, but it pisses me off that some one who is making big bucks from the web, tries to avoid responsibility for what happens with their site. Metallica should sue the socks off them, maqke them socially responsible. If l have a site which people are using to trade child pornography, can l argue that this is not my responsibility...of course it is.