steve@Brl-Bmd.ARPA (04/06/84)
From: Stephen Wolff <steve@Brl-Bmd.ARPA> Bravo.
beattie@Mitre-Gateway.ARPA (04/06/84)
From: brian beattie <beattie@Mitre-Gateway.ARPA>
Lauren,
I think you have completely misconstrued Alex`s position
and I wish people would refrain from using "loaded" phrases like
"warped idea". I feel that this is a very important issue that
will not go away. Just because somthing is considered immoral by
a majority does not mean that it will stop. I feel that rather
than complaining about piracy we should attempt to understand
it, why it occures and how to deal with it. I feel that one way
to deal with it is to accept that some amount of it is inevitable
and find ways to reduce it's impact.
So, let us quit moralizing and discuss this question.
beattie
BTW, I have taken a personal position that I consider it against
my best interest to personaly engage in the unlawful copying
of software. This is not a moral position and I do not say
this to gain brownie points but to avoid crud about my being
an evil person.lauren@Rand-Unix.ARPA (04/07/84)
While a certain amount of software piracy may be "inevitable," I don't think there's a hell of a lot to "understand" about people's motives in this area. We're not dealing with mentally disordered sex offenders, after all. I think that the issue is pretty clear: There are people who have decided that since something is priced "too high" (in their opinion) that they have the moral right/obligation to steal it rather than pay for it. I have difficulty seeing this in any other light than any other form of theft. It's just a lot easier for these people to perform this particular type of theft than most other types. The lengths that people will go to rationalize such acts is truly amazing. If they really think that they should be able to copy software freely, perhaps they should petition Congress for an addendum to the copyright law which reads something like: "In cases where the prospective user of a copyrighted work or product personally feels that it has been priced unreasonably high, that person may freely copy the product regardless of the existing copyright." I won't be holding my breath for this one! C'mon -- what makes software different from other copyrighted or trade-secret protected works? When you make unauthorized copies of such works you are violating the law. The pirates seem to have set themselves up on some perceived "higher than the law" moral ground. Bullpucky. --Lauren--
beattie@Mitre-Gateway.ARPA (04/09/84)
From: brian beattie <beattie@Mitre-Gateway.ARPA> Larry, The problem with discussing the software piracy issue on moral grounds and/or useingh load phrases is that it provokes emotional responses form others. These emotional responses do not help the issue but simply cause people to become deeper entrenched in their position. Just try disussing evolution with a creationist and you might see what I mean. beattie
mmr@utmbvax.UUCP (Mike Rubenstein) (04/18/84)
> While a certain amount of software piracy may be "inevitable," > I don't think there's a hell of a lot to "understand" about people's > motives in this area. We're not dealing with mentally disordered > sex offenders, after all. Right. There's always some dishonesty (I no more think we'll be able to eliminate software theft than I think we'll be able to eliminate auto theft.) The, unfortunate, difference is that those who steal software not only feel no guilt, they feel no shame. It's accepted by many too many people -- in fact a sizable minority, if not a majority, assume it. Recently I got a bit upset with a dealer who failed to inform me of a very good deal I could get on a program I've been wanting for some time but which I never really thought was worth the usual price. Seems he knew that I have the program at work and just assumed I, therefore, also have it on my personal machine. Claims that software is over priced are often justified. So are a lot of other things (that's why I'm still driving a 78 Chevy). If enough people feel this way and don't buy because of it, the price will come down. If just one or two develop a competing product and sell it at a reasonable price, they'll drive the prices down. -- Mike Rubenstein, OACB, UT Medical Branch, Galveston TX 77550