Why is it illegal to use unauthorized copies of someone else's work which is found on

[Chan]

Why is it illegal to use unauthorized copies of someone else's work which is found on the internet?

This was my homework question.
Here is my answer:

Unless the software is under a public licenses such as the the GNU public license that software is protected by copyright laws that extend to most civilized countries. A person or company works hard to complete a software title and owns the actual code for that software title. Users that download illegal software, called "Warez", are stealing that software. This would be equivalent to walking into a store and stealing the boxed software. Anyone using stolen software can be prosecuted and sent to prison.

Permissions or a license must be bought for any privately owned software. The concern over sharing files has been a major issue but was brought into main stream focus by Napster, developed in 1999 by Shawn Fanning.



I've already submitted so I'm not asking for help, just like to hear your opinions.

[John]

When it comes to this, im a HUGE hypocrite. I have over 50gb of mp3's and a whole lot of other software that ive acquired with out actually buying it. However, ive also developed some software and designed some templates for a company i worked for. One day i was browsing one of my favorite "warez" sites and i found that all of my and the company i worked for's templates were posted. **** i was furious, but since i knew the owner of the site i got our files removed

Needless to say, for a few weeks after that every time i went to download something i remembered how i felt when my stuff was "stole" and refrained from it, but months later, i find myself guilty of it again

And also to go off on a tangent (but is still regarding copyright lays) PHP Nuke is my favorite CMS, so throughout the years ive developed mods for nuke and different themes for nuke. Since phpnuke is under the GNU/GPL any mods or software I developed for nuke that "require nuke to function" also fall under the GNU/GPL and cant be sold "legally." This caused a big contraversy among theme in the community. Being that the themes needed phpnuke to function did the themes also fall under the GNU/GPL and could not be sold? It turned out that the code written for the themes did fall under the GNU/GPL but the images could be copyrighted and therefor the themes could be sold. I believe that applys to all software that falls under the GNU/GPL. If you develop 3rd party software that requires software that is under the GNU/GPL to function, your 3rd party software is also automatically under the GNU/GPL and cant be changed.

[WingedPanther]

It sounds like you have a good summary of the issue. Short version: Copyright law says it's illegal to use anything, even if publicly visible, without the creator's permission.

[RobSoftware]

Originally Posted by Sidewinder

When it comes to this, im a HUGE hypocrite. I have over 50gb of mp3's and a whole lot of other software that ive acquired with out actually buying it. However, ive also developed some software and designed some templates for a company i worked for. One day i was browsing one of my favorite "warez" sites and i found that all of my and the company i worked for's templates were posted. **** i was furious, but since i knew the owner of the site i got our files removed

Needless to say, for a few weeks after that every time i went to download something i remembered how i felt when my stuff was "stole" and refrained from it, but months later, i find myself guilty of it again

And also to go off on a tangent (but is still regarding copyright lays) PHP Nuke is my favorite CMS, so throughout the years ive developed mods for nuke and different themes for nuke. Since phpnuke is under the GNU/GPL any mods or software I developed for nuke that "require nuke to function" also fall under the GNU/GPL and cant be sold "legally." This caused a big contraversy among theme in the community. Being that the themes needed phpnuke to function did the themes also fall under the GNU/GPL and could not be sold? It turned out that the code written for the themes did fall under the GNU/GPL but the images could be copyrighted and therefor the themes could be sold. I believe that applys to all software that falls under the GNU/GPL. If you develop 3rd party software that requires software that is under the GNU/GPL to function, your 3rd party software is also automatically under the GNU/GPL and cant be changed.

I have this same problem. And the thing for me is I will go through stages where I will download applications and software that I don't even use or need and most of the time it will just sit there until it is a very old version.

I've gotten a lot better now. Unless the price is extremely high I will buy the software if I use it.

[TcM]

Thats why now im trying to find free software so i will not have to download Warez!!