Xref: utzoo comp.sys.amiga:14417 comp.sys.misc:1149 comp.sys.ibm.pc:11833 comp.sys.mac:12603 comp.sys.atari.st:7530
Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!nuchat!splut!jay
From: jay@splut.UUCP (Jay Maynard)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga,comp.sys.misc,comp.sys.ibm.pc,comp.sys.mac,comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Software (and other kinds of) copying
Message-ID: <371@splut.UUCP>
Date: 10 Feb 88 13:09:29 GMT
References: <8055@g.ms.uky.edu> <174@piring.cwi.nl> <1861@optilink.UUCP> <6693@agate.BERKELEY.EDU>
Organization: Confederate Microsystems, League City, TX
Lines: 38
Summary: Intellectual property is not oxymoronic.

In article <6693@agate.BERKELEY.EDU>, mwm@eris (Mike (My watch has windows) Meyer) writes:
> In article <1874@optilink.UUCP> cramer@optilink.UUCP (Clayton Cramer) writes:
> <Nothing is wrong with [copy protection] -- there's just too many people
> <out there who believe that stealing intellectual property is a right.
> 
> No, there is something wrong with it. The law is set up to try and
> turn an oxymoron (intellectual property) into a reality. As usual,
> when a law tries to change reality, it gets ignored. Expecting
> anything else is silly.

The law is set up to recognize the reality of intellectual property. Without
such recognition, there's no way to protect those who create any work of
creativity - be it a painting, a novel, or a spreadsheet program - from
those who would rip it off and claim it as their own.  Laws are only ignored
by the unlawful. It may be silly to expect that people obey the law, but I
still hope...

> BTW - I *don't* condone stealing software.

You've sure spent a lot of net.bits arguing for it, though...

>                                            While it's not immoral, it
> *is* unfair and dishonest.

I'd argue that it is immoral, just like other forms of theft, but trying to
argue that point with you is pointless, since you don't see it as property
to be stolen.

>                            You should play by the rules until you
> manage to get them changed.

Tell that to the crowd on alt.drugs.

-- 
Jay Maynard, K5ZC (@WB5BBW)...>splut!< | GEnie: JAYMAYNARD  CI$: 71036,1603
uucp: {uunet!nuchat,academ!uhnix1,{ihnp4,bellcore,killer}!tness1}!splut!jay
Never ascribe to malice that which can adequately be explained by stupidity.
The opinions herein are shared by none of my cats, much less anyone else.