Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!lll-winken!lll-lcc!ames!hao!noao!stsci!itkin
From: itkin@stsci.EDU (Elliot Itkin)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Awkward Piracy Situation
Message-ID: <256@ra>
Date: 3 Mar 88 21:06:37 GMT
References: <287@dcdwest.UUCP>
Distribution: na
Organization: Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD 21218
Lines: 32

in article <287@dcdwest.UUCP>, steve@dcdwest.UUCP (Steve Meloche) says:
	[long article about a teenage pirate using his computer]

If you think that pirating is wrong, consider what you would do
with the same child if we were talking about Rolex watches, gold chains,
and expensive jewelry.  "Well, I just borrowed this from a friend."

I don't think you have to be a genius to know that a software company
is not going to give a high school permission to copy its software and
then give it away.

Nor does it take a lawyer to figure out that an employee can not give
away his company's soon to be released products.

Your article sounded so sincere and innocent, it is hard to tell
you that you may be terminally naive.  The fact that his stories 
keep changing, that he is the only one with all the software, etc.,
tell me that he is a crook.  Who knows where he is stealing it from
but believe me, HE KNOWS he is stealing it.

Think about my first paragraph again.  Think about what would you
say to this person if it was a Corvette he suddenly showed up with.
You know he is stealing it or you wouldn't have written such a long
article with so many protestations ("He is such a good kid.").

You have to decide whether you want to condone his activity or not.
It just depends on which is more important to you, your morals or
his friendship.
-- 
Elliot S. Itkin       Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD 21218
                      UUCP:   {arizona,decvax,hao,ihnp4}!noao!stsci!itkin
                      ARPA:   itkin@stsci.edu
                      SPAN:   {SCIVAX,KEPLER}::ITKIN