Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!ihnp4!ihlpg!timim
From: timim@ihlpg.ATT.COM (Tim Lorello)
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: lotus chairman makes 26 million
Keywords: copy protection piracy
Message-ID: <5371@ihlpg.ATT.COM>
Date: 18 May 88 00:24:44 GMT
References: <9160@cisunx.UUCP> <1801@uhccux.UUCP> <807@netxcom.UUCP> <2767@tekig5.TEK.COM>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories - Naperville, Illinois
Lines: 22

In article <2767@tekig5.TEK.COM>, wayneck@tekig5.TEK.COM (Wayne Knapp) writes:
> The real PROFITEER is
> the priate who copies my code.  He gets 4 years worth of work for nothing!  
> 
>                                       Wayne Knapp  

This is right on the money.  It is interesting that the motives of the Lotus
chairperson are being questioned by the original poster.  All questions of
capitalism aside; when you pirate someone's software, you take something that
is not yours.  You did not design it.  You did not provide input to its
assimilation.  What gives you the right to take it or copy it?  Our legal
system has already stated that software is "copywrightable."  Our morality
says that taking something from someone, INCLUDING IDEAS, is a form of theft
unless compensation is provided.  Sometimes, the compensation can be a simple
thank you or acknowledgement.  Sometimes it is $400.  If you want to test
a piece of software out ahead of time, BORROW IT from your friend, have your
software dealer demo it (or maybe he'll lend/rent it to you), read reviews,
talk with people.  There are a lot of other ways to find out about software
without having to copy it.  Be creative!

		Tim Lorello
		AT&T Bell Laboratories