[HPforGrownups] Re: (careering OT) copyright

[Amanda Lewanski]

No: HPFGUIDX 9663

Dai Evans wrote:

> On a question of copyright morals, I wonder how many people on the
> list can honestly say that 100% (or even 25%) of the software on
> their computers is 100% legal.

Well, I paid for all mine. Including my two wordprocessing packages and
PageMaker, which weren't cheap. Including the games (except the Blue's
Clues freebies from their webpage).

> Perhaps people should think about that before
> they condemn fiction copyright infringers.

I did. I have refused offers of illegal software copies before, and will
again, for the same reasons. The immorality of theft remains, regardless
of the scope or size of the stealee. One of my favorite old jokes has a
similar punch:

Man to woman in bar, "Will you sleep with me for a million dollars?"
Woman, "Yes."
Man, "Will you sleep with me for twenty dollars?"
Woman (outraged), "What kind of a woman do you think I am?"
Man, "We've established that, we're haggling about price."

--Amanda