[Gllug] Regarding priracy (sic)

[Rev Simon Rumble]

On Wed 05 Mar, chris.wareham at btopenworld.com bloviated thus:
> Before I signed up to the GLLUG list a friend and former subscriber
> commented on how "militant" the topics could get. The current discussion
> on "piracy" amply proves him right.

Militant in the sense of "different from my point of view"?

> Those arguing for the unlimited right to duplicate software, music
> or even Coca-Cola(!) conclude that copyright is a bad thing based on
> a narrow, selfish criteria.

I don't think a single person argued this at all.  The "argument"
pointed out by myself, and discussed in some detail, was about calling
copyright infringement "theft" and equating it to nicking someone's
car radio.

> If I have explicitly said "you can copy my music freely", then
> that's not a problem. But what is happening with music is that
> people are copying it regardless of the creators wishes just because
> they can, and then coming up with ludicrous justifications.

You're absolutely right.  What is at issue is really a breach of
agreement type problem.  This is why it's manifestly different from
swashbuckling thieves/rapists/murderers on the high seas (shiver me
timbers me hearties etc) and nicking someone's car radio.  While it
might have the effect of depriving someone or some entity of income,
that is a secondary effect.  The primary infringement is of an
agreement.

> The Coca-Cola example is bogus, as your making something from
> ingredients. The blank CDR that someone uses to pirate my music is *not*
> the raw ingredients of the music anymore than it's the raw creative
> energy that goes into coding a piece of software.

The Coke analogy was to explain the difference between theft and
copyright infringement.

> Now, can we get back to answering *technical* queries regarding Linux
> and free software and perhaps setup an alternative Chat list for the
> anarcho-student type wastes of bandwidth.

Oh you're _SOOO_ mature and superior.  Now that you've so conclusively
changed my mind, I'll of course change my opinions to yours and we no
longer need this discussion.

-- 
Rev Simon Rumble <simon at rumble.net>
www.rumble.net
Send email with subject "send key pub" for public key.

I've got nothing against any Viet Cong.

- Muhammed Ali in refusing to register for the draft
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