Anti warez plugin

[sun7dots]

Hi all,

as I was surfing the internet I came to this article. It is about a new method in fighting software criminality. The London nonprofit launched a software plug-in for Microsoft's Internet Explorer, that when installed will put an "F" button on a user's browser. Pressing this button you will send to them information on the site you are just visiting. Then you fill few fields and that's all. Report is finished...

In no way I want to propagate a software piracy but I don't think THIS a the right way to fight it. For example the anonymity - everyone could report everyone with fake or noname... What will FAST do if they'll receive thousands of fake reports just because someone is joking or someone wants to make problem to others. Other is that IMO this method changes the moral in society. It will be like in Orwell novels. Everyone will suspect everyone and some companies (Microsoft etc. in this case) will have benefit out of it.

So I'm wondering what is your opinion about this? Would you report someone if you know that he's using illegal copies of software?

thanks for your time

[rcgreen]

I guess, if you feel morally compelled to inform
on someone, because you feel that :
[list=1][*]what they're doing is serious enough[*]you are the one who has the duty to act[/list=1]

then you have the freedom to speak out.

But this question has a wider application.
Suppose you are a member of the Rescue Squad
or Fire Department and you are called to a house
because someone is unconscious.

When you arrive, there is a wild party going on
with drugs all over the place. After you transport
the sick person to the hospital, you must file a
report.

There has been some controversy over whether
it should be legally required of you to report the
drug use to the police.

I feel this requirement would corrupt the mission of the
fire or rescue worker, turning him into an "undercover"
agent for the police.
[list=1][*]People invited him in to help, not to arrest someone.[*]If they thought he was coming to spy on them, maybe they would be afraid to call, and the unconscious person will not get help.[*]If the rescue worker didn't have a search warrent, but was voluntarily invited in to help, how could the police legally use the evidence anyway?[/list=1]

[Tedob1]

That all depends on what you want the internet to be.

If you want the internet to be integrated into everyday life. Used to conduct business, assist in education, go shopping, etc., illegal activities as defined by the above ground community, must be stopped.

If on the other hand you want to keep it the wild and wooly place that we all know and love, where anything goes. Then up with warez.

I think we all know the former will happen eventually, and the net of today will be spoken of among kids of tomorrow, the way hackers discuss the computer world of the late 80’s and early 90’s today.

Id like to keep it wooly for a while longer, its just too much dam fun.

I agree with you sun7dots, encouraging people to turn each other in to the law is not a good thing even though it worked well for the Hitler youth.

Personally ill plea the 5th.