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From: swarren@eugene.uucp (Steve Warren)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Software thieves (Piracy discussion)
Message-ID: <1588@convex.UUCP>
Date: 25 Aug 89 14:56:43 GMT
References: <30706@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> <6846@rpi.edu> <2361@raspail.cdcnet.cdc.com> <6865@rpi.edu> <58013@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu> <6876@rpi.edu> <1160@sas.UUCP> <11682@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu> <1575@convex.UUCP> <620@eagle.wesleyan.edu>
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Reply-To: swarren@eugene.UUCP (Steve Warren)
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Organization: Convex Computer Corporation, Richardson, Tx.
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If you don't want to read an article about piracy, hit "n" now.


Here's what I said:
>> Just say NO to piracy.  It is fundamentally immoral, and arguments to the
>> contrary are the self-serving rationalizations of looters.

In article <620@eagle.wesleyan.edu> jtreworgy@eagle.wesleyan.edu writes:
                           [...]
>I'm not arguing that piracy is right. It is definitely immoral and illegal
>activity.                 [...]             ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Sounds like he agrees with me, doesn't it?  Here he admits that piracy is
"definitely immoral".

But wait, do I hear a self-serving rationalization coming on?...yes I do!

>   ...What I am arguing is that the software industry is not harmed to a
>great degree by piracy, and the consumers are HELPED by piracy.  [...]

And finally, like all good rationalizers, he contradicts himself:
>
>Oh, please! Why is it immoral to posess information without paying when the
>other option is to not posess it? 

This is great, because not only does he contradict himself (didn't he just
finish saying that piracy is definitely immoral?), he also recaps his
"self-serving rationalization" in the same sentence.  I couldn't ask for a
better illustration of my original point.

What is sad is that his ethics are so twisted that he doesn't appear to
recognise the nonsensical nature of the statement he just made,
ie "It's immoral, but refusing to do it would be costly, (he would not
be able to possess the information) therefore it is not immoral."

I think piracy is pretty low.  But trying to justify it as moral behavior
is downright slimy.
--Steve
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