Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att-cb!att-ih!pacbell!ames!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!husc6!uwvax!umn-d-ub!umn-cs!hyper!guest
From: guest@hyper.UUCP (guest)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Copyrights and Coercion
Keywords: Copyright Coercion
Message-ID: <1528@hyper.UUCP>
Date: 8 Mar 88 19:14:43 GMT
Organization: Network Systems Corp., Mpls. MN
Lines: 37
Posted: Tue Mar  8 13:14:43 1988


I tried to keep myself from posting this, I know it will just encourage
them to keep harping on the issue, but I just can't go on silently
suffering their non-logical assertions.  So ...

The issue is copyright infringement, software piracy, idea theft or
whatever else you like to call it.  My perspective is not whether
such things are currently illegal, but whether there is coercion
involved, and just who is invoking the coercion.  

"Define your terms!"

     Coercion - The initiation of the use of physical force, or the
                the threat thereof.

     Fraud    - (I will avoid defining the term fraud, except to say
                 that it is non-passive -- it requires the initiation
                 of some action.)

     Theft    - The use of coercion or fraud to obtain some value.


Is it possible for someone to violate the copyright law without engaging
in coercion or fraud?  Yes!  In fact that is the most common form of
piracy.  Is such piracy theft?  No! (By my definitions. Not by legal
definitions which have nothing to do with logic.)

Is it possible for a copyright holder to enforce his copyright without
the use of coercion?  No! (In most cases.)  Ironically the copyright
holder who uses coercion to maintain his asking price is directly
obtaining value by that act.  The copyright holder is the thief!!!!

Your mission, should you decide to accept it is to show that my premises
(definitions) are not robust, or that I erred in their application. (logic)

- John M. Logajan            {...!rutgers!} umn-cs!hyper!ns!logajan
- Network System Corp.;  7600 Boone Ave;   Brooklyn Park,  MN 55428