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From: chuq%plaid@Sun.COM (Chuq Von Rospach)
Newsgroups: comp.sources.d
Subject: Re: v11INF3:  Poll on copyrights
Message-ID: <31219@sun.uucp>
Date: Mon, 19-Oct-87 12:45:54 EDT
Article-I.D.: sun.31219
Posted: Mon Oct 19 12:45:54 1987
Date-Received: Tue, 20-Oct-87 20:46:02 EDT
References: <4899@ncoast.UUCP> <31209@sun.uucp> <31218@sun.uucp>
Sender: news@sun.uucp
Reply-To: chuq@sun.UUCP (Chuq Von Rospach)
Organization: Fictional Reality, uLtd
Lines: 40

>>>Just because someone places a restriction on something doesn't mean it
>>>has to be followed. I have no qualms about doing anything I damn well
>>>please with any piece of software I get my hands on.

>>By the same right, this means that if I want to borrow your car for some
>>[analogy deleted for space]

>>Or, say, I need some more CPU cycles. Your machine has a modem. 
>>[analogy deleted for space]

>Neither analogy is relevant.  In the case of physical objects such as a
>car or computer, there is the possibility of damage caused by the
>borrower, or that the owner would unexpectedly need to use the object
>and find it unavailable.

This is unutterable bulloney. 

First, there is a law against stealing cars. There is also a law against
stealing copyrighted software. If you feel that you are above one, there is
no way you can claim that we aren't just as far above the other. Both are
theft. Plain and simple. Theft.

Second, are you claiming that if I steal your car and return it before you
need it I have committed no crime? That's your implication.

>As has been pointed out by others, software is
>unlike physical objects in that it can be copied indefinitely with no
>degradation, and at no cost.  If I post software to the net, nothing
>Root Boy does to it will affect my subsequent enjoyment of it.

What about things like intrinsic value? If you steal my software and ignore
its legal and binding restrictions, what does that do to the worth of
software? I may still have my copy, but it isn't worth anything anymore.

Theft is theft. If you break the law, you break the law. You can rationalize
all you want, but the bottom line is that you are a thief.

chuq
Chuq Von Rospach					chuq@sun.COM
Editor, OtherRealms					Delphi: CHUQ