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Re: Piracy was Quake 3 Arena.



On 17 Jul 2001, Supreet Sethi wrote:

> BTW have you ever heard of anybody being put to jail for not buying bus
> ticket. I don't think so. 

I have heard.  I have seen.  I know a judge who does it, too, if that
helps.

> Yes it is true that they can put you in jail
> or fine for indulging in piracy. But why would they catch a small fish
> when big fishes are floating around. 

The same reason that the police catches traffic offenders when there are
murders occuring, and the same reason why the State polices your
neighbourhood, when there are terrorists on the border.

The same reason, in fact, that Sarai is in Delhi talking about Software
while there are people starving in Uzbekistan.  The principle matters.

> Only difference this law is going
> to make is small players of piracy market would be wiped out. 

Exactly.  That is the whole point.

I have seen Corporates being "audited" for Piracy.  In Singapore, I have
seen businessmen go to jail.  I have seen it kill the widespead pirated CD
market.

Supreet, IIRC, you were a "Debian guy".  Our Social Contract states that
we respect other's right to property.  We may disagree on uses and abuses,
but in the absence of a legal framework for IPR protection, how do you
enforce the GPL?

I do use softwre that my clients have not paid for.  However, I protect
their intrest by not shouting it from the rooftops.  At least protect
Raju's server, by not compromising it with illegal activities.

And BTW, the above is not specific to Supreet.  It is just that I know
him, so thought I could jump on him.  The talk on the list about
AudioGalaxy, et al, is definitely crossing the line from unethical to
illegal.

--
Sanjeev "ghane" Gupta                    Mob: +65 98551208
dotXtra Pte Ltd                          Fax: +65 5470260
Singapore                                email: ghane@xxxxxxxxxxx
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