tedd wrote:
At 5:46 PM +0100 7/30/07, Stut wrote:
tedd wrote:
But, the importance here is one of euphemism.
Calling the act of stealing something more palatable, such as
copyright infringement, simply makes it easier to do.
Conversely, calling the act of copyright infringement something less
palatable, such as stealing, simply makes it harder to do.
That's a very curious comment. Do you really think people who are
actively infringing copyright really care what you call it?
I don't know what they think, and neither do you. But I do believe that
if I raised my son with the idea of stealing software was not really
stealing, but rather copyright infringement I think he would have a
different view in "acquiring" it -- is that not common sense?
"Stealing software" - that would be walking into a shop and taking a box
of software. Not the same as downloading it from a pirate website.
My personal view is that it's important that we don't dumb things down
for children, and in my opinion calling copyright infringement stealing
is dumbing it down so you don't have to explain the difference.
In my mind copyright infringement is no better or worse a crime than
stealing.
Ok, we agree that copyright infringement is as bad as stealing. If it
looks like a duck....
Corporate manslaughter and murder? I would get very worried if we
started treating those the same!
And, legally speaking, what you call it makes a world of difference.
The punishments for stealing are very different to those for copyright
infringement. If they were the same thing then surely the potential
punishments would be the same?
The punishments for any crime vary regardless of what you call it --
that's in the guts of the legal system. I'm not using the failings of
our legal system to make any point, I'm just stating the obvious. And
the obvious here is that if you deny rights to another, then you are
stealing something.
No, you're not. If I imprison you am I stealing from you? No.
Again I'm forced to repeat the basic point... stealing involves a thing,
copyright involves a legal protection mechanism. I cannot steal a legal
protection mechanism, but I can infringe it.
-Stut
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