Originally posted by SaburoS
So downloading and benefitting from someone else's copyrighted materials without their permission is not theft?
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Correct.
BTW, are you saying that we have a right to devalue other's copyrighted materials to free without their permission is okay?
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No.
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So if I get a bootleg copy of Photoshop (downloaded file, or cd copy) while have never paid for the program (license), and without the permission of Adobe, and I use that product, benefit from it, is that not a form stealing? Not a form of theft?
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No and no, it is neither theft nor stealing.
What is it then?
What exactly is copyright infringment?
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It is (probably) a violation of copyright laws. Copyright infringement is something one company does to another company (assuming that I have translated it correctly) when they *sell* stuff that is copyright-protected by the first company.
Does our definition really matter, or do you just like splitting hairs?
Bottom line: If caught and convicted under present copyright laws, one will have to pay.
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Well, I tend to object to the "dumbification" of the legal system, where complicated laws and rules are dumbed down in an effort to explain some situation. It is wrong, it leads to the wrong conclusions, and more importantly, it will give some people a completely faulty picture of what the law is and how it works.
For example, theft and stealing is the same thing. Theft is just one method to steal something. There are several ways to steal stuff, you can pick someones pocked, you can break into their house and steal their stuff, or you can sneak around on the beach and take stuff from ppl who are in the water or whatever. Pickpocketing, burglary, theft...all these are forms of stealing.
Then you have other methods of stealing, like you can pull a gun out and threaten someone instead of picking their pocket. That is no longer stealing however, that is robbery. And although any robbery must contain an element of stealing for it to be considered as a robbery, the crime of stealing is consumed by the greater crime of robbery.
blah blah blah, you get the point.
Problem is that if you are convicted of stealing, the law will give a list of possible punishments. Here in Sweden, the punishment for stealing something "normal" prison 14 days to 2 years, depending on what you stole and how, how many times you've done it before etc.
For copyright violation the penalty is a fine.
So in other words, the law tends to see more lightly on copyright violations than on stealing.
LOL, for those that wish to, keep downloading to your heart's content. Just don't whine and cry if you get caught.
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Have you heard anyone whine like that here?
Oh BTW Hortlund, I'm not a cop. If I were it would not be my job to determine if someone was violating copyright laws. That job goes to the judge residing over that case.
Well, the cops in Sweden at least, are given some very very detailed instructions on what the law is and what is considered a crime or not.
