in reply to Re: Re: Software piracy- what would you do?
in thread Software piracy- what would you do?

Define "places where it has no business"

I suspect you already know what I mean by this. If it doesn't affect you, it's not your business.

The practice of giving information to the police on suspected law-breaking is not the problem, here or in the old U.S.S.R.: rather, unjust laws there, and arguably here (a can of worms I'll try to stay away from) should be your target.

This is a very lucid observation. As I've already replied to buckaduck, it really comes down to one's own value system. I feel that one should not inform on people to "authorities" unless another party has been seriously hurt or victimized by a crime. I don't really consider this to be such a case, mostly because I disagree with the law in question. 

   MeowChow                                   
               s aamecha.s a..a\u$&owag.print
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Software piracy- what would you do?
by Tiefling (Monk) on Jun 05, 2001 at 20:57 UTC
    If it doesn't affect you, it's not your business.

    I am about to make a comparison which may draw 'apples and oranges' accusations. I defend myself in advance by saying that the comparison I make, while extreme, highlights the principle I discuss.

    Suppose that your principle were enacted. Suppose everyone were, legally speaking, an island. Then there would be no responsibility for any individual, who, say, witnessed you being assaulted, to help, or report the crime. If you wish to reap a benefit (such as, in this case, royalties), you do have a duty, whether implicit or explicit, to defend the right of others to do so also. The informers you refer to were not defending any rights of others, but simply infringing privacy for gain. On the other hand, if I report a software pirate, or for that matter any other infringer of copyright, I defend my own treasured right not to have my own work passed off as that of someone else, whether for profit on their part or not. It's not merely about whether you personally have been harmed by a crime, but whether, in an analogous situation, you would want your own rights defended.

    Now, you may not wish to defend merlyn's rights, or to have yours defended. But there is no way under heaven people should be criticised for defending the rights of their neighbours.

    Tiefling
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