BellaOnline Forums Computers Virus & Spam Should Pirating Software Be Illegal?

There's a song that you love but really don't want to pay 99 cents for. So you download it for free.

Is that piracy?

There's a movie currently in theaters that you'd love to see, but come on, 9 bucks for a movie ticket? Instead, you download it and watch it for free at home.

Is that piracy?

Microsoft has just released yet another piece of uber-expensive software that you can't afford. In an act of defiance, not only do you buy a bootleg copy, but you copy it and distribute it to others.

Is that piracy?

What do you think?

If something is being offered for a certain price, then I think either you accept the price as being fair and pay it, or you choose not to pay that price and go elsewhere for the service. I don't think stealing the item is a moral alternative.

If you're in a store and you want a bunch of bananas, and you don't like the price, you don't steal the bananas. You find them elsewhere for less money, or you eat something else.

I'd have to agree, Lisa. If you don't like the price - don't pay it. Simple as that.

Unfortunately, the scenarios I described above are still fairly popular despite rather stiff penalties.

Is just isn't worth the consequences - not to mention being morally wrong IMHO.