If whatever you're stealing is actually causing people to lose
some of what is rightfully theirs (money) then you're a thief.

Ethically, I'd say if you're some kidd-o or a dysfunctional
adult (burn!) who wants to learn rails and you don't have a job and
otherwise wouldn't buy the book, it's the equivalent of checking it
out from the library.

-Jeff

On Wed, May 17, 2006 at 01:01:20AM +0900, gwtmp01 / mac.com wrote:
> 
> On May 16, 2006, at 11:25 AM, Phil Hagelberg wrote:
> 
> >Keith Lancaster <klancaster1957 / gmail.com> writes:
> >
> >>I cannot afford a Mercedes. I therefore have no plans to buy one.  
> >>Should
> >>I steal one? After all, nobody really gets hurt, do they?
> >
> >I know you mean well, but it really bothers me when I see copyright
> >infringement equivocated with theft. It's not the same thing. It's bad
> >in this case, and it's *totally illegal*. Shouldn't that be enough of
> >a reason?
> 
> Are you arguing that the word 'theft' is reserved to describe the  
> misappropriation of tangible goods and therefore doesn't apply to  
> copyright infringement or are you trying to say that there is some  
> ethical difference between the two situations?  I'm confused.
> 
> 
> Gary Wright
> 
> 
> 
>