The Software Industry's Identity Crisis
Linked by David Adams on Tue 26th Oct 2004 16:30 UTC
Editorial The software industry is undergoing a gradual transformation, and consumer fatigue is at its root. The licensing model that has formed the basis for the modern software industry is facing challenges on many fronts, and the industry is scrambling to keep its footing. Where this period of change may lead software producers and consumers isn't quite clear, but some trends are emerging. Since the proliferation of the internet, unauthorized redistribution of digital goods has become rampant. But although software sharing probably won't kill the software industry, the reasoning behind it shares some pedigree with the customer revolt that promises to transform the way software is sold.
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immorality by interpretation
by Jason Mazzotta on Tue 26th Oct 2004 19:49 UTC

"Copyright infringement, though immoral, is not morally equivalent to theft of a physical good because infringement does not deprive the owner of his or her possession of the good."

I haven't read the whole article yet, so this point may be explained later on, but I have to disagree with this point. Morality is based on logic. The only reason someone possesses something (or more to the point creates something) is because it has/or is expected to produce value. To deprive someone of the possession of an item is to deprive them of something from which they could otherwise derive value. So stealing someone's wallet (which has money, something with undeniable value, in it) is morally no different from stealing software (from which someone might derive value).