On: I'm Pirating the Next Version of Windows

[demigod]

You cant be blind to this, Piracy is different from stealing, but it is analogous and so the meme. When you physically steal something from a store, the store faces a loss of value and that is why it is illegal. Information is not valued in the same way as other goods and sometimes the value is lost when a copy is made even though the original is not damaged in any way. Its like the secret treasure map which has the value of the treasure if its a secret and has zero value once its made public and the treasure is long gone.

[Karunamon → demigod]

> sometimes the value is lost when a copy is made even though the original is not damaged in any way.

The one and only time this is true is when something is pirated pre-release, thereby causing an actual financial impact to the rightful owner. You'll also find that there are court cases backing this line of reasoning up.

[nate_meurer → demigod]

No, it's not analogous. "Causing loss of value" is not, and never has been, used to qualify theft. Counterfeiting maybe, but not theft.

I'm not sure what your "secret treasure map" example has to do with either theft or copyright infringment.