Fw: Attack of the Killer RIAA FUD App (Was Re: know people in .ut.us?)

[Craig White]

On Sun, 2003-06-22 at 10:37, Bill Lindley wrote:
> A great part of the indifference to illegally copying commercial 
> software stems from the scofflaw attitude perpetuated by speeding on our 
> roadways. 
> 
> There is no reason that if 99% of cars on I-10 are speeding, that every 
> one of them should not get a ticket.  I'd like to see magnetic loops and 
> cameras used for this purpose -- one every mile.  Send those speeders a 
> hefty ticket at the end of the month and we could reverse the State 
> deficit... Maybe I should write my Senator...
> 
> But seriously, it is the law.  Just because "everyone does it" doesn't 
> make it safe, or right.
> 
> Same with installing one CD of Windows on ten computers at the office.
> 
> We with principles have to explain to our clients that we simply can't 
> support them unless they abide by Microsoft's usurous license terms.  
> That's the only way they will understand the cost and time savings of 
> Free Software.
> 
> \\/
> 
> p.s., I've even been told I should get a ticket if I'm the only driver 
> on the road obeying the speed limit.  These must be the folks who want 
> to criminalize Linux.
> 
------
I simply do not agree with this post on many levels.

First off, the main philosophy of the Rules of the Road is 'reasonable
and prudent.' If there is pea soup thick fog, going the speed limit is
likely to be excessive speed and may get you ticketed.

Likewise, if everyone is traveling at 10 mph over the speed limit, it is
reasonable and prudent for you to travel at 10 mph over the limit too,
since it would be an impediment to the flow of traffic for you to be
traveling less than everyone else.

While I like the photo radar concept - there are many reasons for the
police to slow the traffic down in some areas, like your message, it
chooses to see things as either black or white when in reality, life is
about the grays and the photo radar never considers the concept of
'reasonable and prudent.'

You then go on to say 'We with principals' which pre-supposes that you
are among the few with principals and many don't have principals. My
experience has been that everyone has principals and everyone finds
areas where they might shade things a bit, whether it's software, music,
cable signals, paying taxes, etc. Thus I think it best not to make
judgments about what other people choose to do and worry about what I do
and the kind of example that I want to set for my children.

Craig