What gives you the impression that marto has a certain impression about what the OP intends to do with the content?

Before we all engage in group "mind reading" (under "Jumping to conclusions"), let's realize that we just don't know what the OP is doing with the content unless he tells us, but that the fact he's using 'bot-like code could mean he's automating many downloads, which might be a violation of the site's Terms of Use.

Similarly, we just don't know what marto thinks the OP is doing unless marto tells us... But just as we might want to give the OP the benefit of the doubt and assume he's not doing anything unethical, let's give marto the same courtesy and not assume he's "spreading FUD".

Just as we have a general expectation that robots will obey PerlMonk's wishes with regard to spidering the site, dictionary.com probably has a reasonable expectation that their Terms of Use will be honored. marto was simply pointing out that before one turns a robot loose on a site, one should find out if, in fact, such a thing is permissible, or, might land one in hot legal water. In doing so, marto showed he has both the OP's and dictionary.com's best interests at heart.

IMHO, it sounds to me like your real problem is with "the likes of Micro$oft and the media barons"... Perhaps educating people about the fallacies behind the arguments of same could provide a more productive outlet for your (quite understandable) frustrations.