andrel wrote:
>>   B. Record a television program with a dvr and skip the commercials.
> Morally and legaly ok, you can always record what is broadcast for 
> yourself, don't give or sell to others.
>>   C. Cable f's up during a favorite television program - go find a 
>> torrent and download it.
> Morally equivalent to B from your point of view. Illegal from the other 
> guys POV.

This is why C probably best illustrates my point: there may very well be 
a legal, moral remedy to my having missed the program. The program may 
*eventually* be released on DVD, but waiting for it is, in most people's 
minds, too much to ask to satisfy my moral obligations. If someone set 
up a pay download service for television programs, then most would 
believe me immoral for downloading the program for free. The only 
distinction between that possibility and now is that the download 
service would make NOT stealing more convenient.


My only point is that there IS a line at which stealing becomes 
acceptable. Does it extend to brick and mortar retail? Sure does. Just 
today, I picked up a "for sale" pen to write down an item number of some 
washers I was purchasing. I didn't purchase the pen and now the guy who 
does will have 6 fewer numbers worth of ink to worth with. Wrong? 
Whatever you think, I can guarantee that quite a few people will feel 
the other way.

Why does any of this matter? Because the tax-funded government shouldn't 
go any farther to protect a giant company's property than mine. 
Logistics demand reasonableness.

  -Shay

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