Quote:
Originally Posted by b0rsuk
Why do people associate copyright infringement with theft ? Last time I checked theft was depriving people of property for personal gain. Copyright infringement was copyright infringement.
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It's been discussed a few times around these parts.
For the record, simply depriving someone of their legal property without permission, whether you gain from that act or not, constitutes theft. Gain is largely irrelevant. (In such case, the question becomes: Is an e-book considered a copyright holder's legal property?)
The general consensus among MR members (if I may be so bold) is that the inherent and practical differences between physical property and electronic documents still need to be addressed by the world at large, and an agreement reached, as to what should be bound under copyright infringement and/or theft, or if new rules need to be applied, to enact an acceptable global stance on the matter.
IOW, it hasn't really been decided.