Like I said, *unemotionally*. This is about Law and Ethics. Get emotional
and you lose the plot.


Shane


"Testy" wrote in message
...
If one has any moral fiber at all the analysis would lead one to realize
theft is theft.

Testy

"Shane" wrote in message
...
You need to analyse this stuff unemotionally. Rationally.


Shane


"Testy" wrote in message
...
That is the greatest piece of rationalization I have ever read! I guess
it
makes you sleep better at night believing you are not a thief.

Testy

"Al Smith" wrote in message
...
In the case you describe, theft is from Microsoft.
The business may also have a problem with Microsoft because they are
not
adequately controlling the licenses.
So in fact the company stands to lose as well.
The company very well may lose something, especially if Microsoft
determines they are not protecting the licenses adequately.
In that very real possible situation, the company may lose "the
ability
to use it."

The theft isn't from Microsoft, because Microsoft hasn't lost
anything.
Therefore no theft has occurred. There is no particular reason to
suppose
that a person using a pirated version of the OS would have gone out
and
bought the OS, had the pirate edition not been available. This might
be
the case, but it also might *not* be the case. And there is no way to
demonstrate that it is the case. Besides, theft is taking something
real
that already exists, not potentially depriving someone of possible,
speculative, additional future earnings.

When a pirated edition of Windows is used, it is copied. Nothing
happens
to the original edition. It does not cease to be. Microsoft does not
lose
the money it made by selling the original edition. Copying is not
theft.
It may involve an infringement of the Microsoft license agreement,
but
that is not theft.


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