There is, to me, a difference between using cracked software, like the kid in your example, because you can't afford it, and providing the same software to other people.
The actual copy the kid downloaded doesn't cost the author much, true. But if the kid goes on and offers this copy on his server to other people - for free - , then the stealing of software may increase to an amount where it could actually financially hurt the author.

The student at that university may indeed not be aware that he's opening his BookshelfCD to the public. So maybe an e-mail to the student first would have been nicer. But then, as has been pointed out, if it is indeed software piracy (done consciously I mean) the university might face charges, too, so OTOH they are probably happy enough to know about it.

Honestly, I'm not sure what I would've done...

-cs

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