

File sharing is not not stealing. - samueladam
http://danhau.posterous.com/not-not-stealing

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ErrantX
This is a well spread around graphic: and makes IMO a pointless point. It is
often used to try and legitimise illegal file sharing - which I dont think is
a fair argument at all. Yes distribution of copyrighted material is not theft.
It doesnt make it not illegal.

I feel justified in calling it theft though: the legal definition of theft is
old and out of date for starters (same with copyright law: these sharers
cannot have double standards on that surely).

What we call it is immaterial: recognising the problem is potentially more
important. And I believe if calling it theft makes people consider it a crime
much more than copyright infringement then that is, surely, a good thing.

And at the end of the day it _morally_ feels like theft. :D

I approve of the effort to highlight the differences between the activities.
But as an attempt to legitimise piracy and illegal file sharing I think it is
wrong and highly misleading (the suggestion being the last of the 3 examples
is not illegal).

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samueladam
I liked the skill of being able to explain something with a simple drawing.

I find the author cautious enough to have drawn around the difference between
file sharing and piracy. Details such as "not not stealing" and the non
smiling face enforce this idea.

I just wanted to promote the way of explaining things with drawings just like
the <http://commoncraft.com/> series.

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ErrantX
that is a fair point: I apologise I guess.

The image has been doing the rounds in the regular "copyright it evil"
discussions as legitimisation of copyright infringement. I think I might have
been guilty of a knee jerk reaction.

Though I think my analysis still stands :)

EDIT: and wow I totally misread the title. All the versions I have seen dont
have the second Not. I apologise for missing the subtlety!! :(

~~~
samueladam
That's cool ErrantX, always nice having a conversation with fellow HNers. :)

