Very, very well said, Hitch.
Interesting to note, by the way, that the term "piracy" has been used to refer to unauthorised copying of literary works for well over 400 years. The term was coined by Thomas Dekker, in his best-selling 1603 blockbuster "The Wonderfull yeare: 1603, Wherein is shewed the picture of London, lying sicke of the Plague" (they went in for catchy titles back then), in which he says:
Quote:
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Banish these Word-pirates, (you sacred mistresses of learning) into the gulfe of Barbarisme: doome them euerlastingly to liue among dunces: let them not once lick their lips at the Thespian bowle, but onely be glad (and thanke Apollo for it too) if hereafter (as hitherto they haue alwayes) they may quench their poeticall thirst with small beere. Or if they will needes be stealing your Heliconian Nectar, let them (like the dogs of Nylus,) onely lap and away. For this Goatish swarme are those (that where for these many thousand yeares you went for pure maides) haue taken away your good names, these are they that deflowre your beauties. These are those ranck-riders of Art, that haue so spur-gald your lustie wingd Pegasus, that now he begins to be out of flesh, and (euen only for prouander-sake) is glad to shew tricks like Bancks his Curtall.
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http://www.luminarium.org/renascence...ons/yeare.html
Words to ponder indeed!