"gimme death or a free software"

Kazaa and Morphus are meant, and only meant for, file swapping of copywrited software between users (most of which are unknown to eachother). Nothing more. I follow your analogy but I dont think it applies here. What are some instances where you think these p2p progs can be used legally?

To me the issue is not the technology, but how it is used. Kazaa, Morpheus, etc. can be used for good or bad. To attempt an analogy, a stick in and of itself is neither good nor bad, but using it to hold up your tent might be good, while using it to beat someone over the head would likely be bad.

What about the use of p2p software like Kazaa or Napster? What do you guys think?

The "bootleg or not" issue raises the question in my mind of the conflict between expediency and morality. Do I do what is most convenient to me in this situation, or do I apply some standard even if it is costly to me?

The advantage of a relativistic standard is that it can be used to justify just about anything. The disadvantage is that it is hard to know where to draw the line. Why not continue to use bootleg software once I'm working and want to test-drive some *really* expensive software (10's thousands of dollars)? Isn't that just the logical extension of the current situation as a student?

In recent articles on the web there was a study conducted that showed college students are the vast majority of the population that actually does pirates software. Why? You might ask...Some college students actually use the software because it's just too expensive to buy to use for a mere semester. The other reason is because it's fun to collect what you're not supposed to have! They showed that most students have bootlegged software, but don't actually use it.

No not all this software is installed in the labs. An old version of Photoshop is in the labs but the newest version is an almost redo of the older ones. The labs don't contain Visual Studio and the copy found in the 340 book is a very limited student version. And if you know one MS OS then you defintaly DO NOT know the others. You can't use what you know in 98 networking to use in 2k since 2k is totally based on NT and 98 is based on 95 networking (apples and oranges my friend). And who said I had rich friends that can afford this software? Where did you come up with that?
And if an emplyer asked me if I used pirtated software then I would simply say that all the software I have previously used has been on an educational basis. Or I can just tell them I don't use any, heh.

Edited by author 03-10-2002 03:30 PM
Well, isn't this software already installed in the labs on Campus? And some of this software can be obtained for educational use for a much cheaper price (means you can only use the software to learn, but can't distribute your products). And still, some software comes with the books you have to buy for some of the courses you take at UIC (eg. CS340 book comes with Visual C++ for educational purposes only). As for Microsoft OS, if you know one, you know them all. If you know 98, you can easily switch to 2000 or XP or NT with practically minimal effort, all you have to do is to read the documentation. Also, what about your rich friends who can afford to buy the software, just meet them more often and learn how to use software together.
As for the employers wanting you to have(or use) pirated software, I'm sure that if the employers themselves would ask you if you have any, your argument "Yes I have(or used) pirated software because U wanted me to learn the stuff I know..." would not hold. Maybe they want you to acquire the knowledge the hard way?

How about the few hundreds of dollars a student is expected to pay for programs like Adobe Photoshop, Visual Studio, any Microsoft OS, and Dreamweaver..all software that college graduates are expected to know as they enter the job market in their respective fields. Maybe employers are expecting college students to obtain this software "by other means" and learn it before they apply for jobs.
I won't let them down ; )

Edited by author 03-08-2002 09:33 PM
Re: Does anyone out there (besides me) *NOT* have bootleg/illegal software?
I don't have any illegal software and I'm proud of it. If there is some program I need, what I do is that I go to zdnet.com or some other software web site and try to find a free substitute that will do similar thing. There usually is one. If there isn't one, then the few dozens of dollars is not a fortune to pay and I can work few extra hours to pay for it.

The schedule will be changed as follows: Since we covered the Harvard Dean case on Thursday, on Tuesday we will discuss in class Ch. 6 from our text on Property Rights and be prepared to discuss it in class. Be prepared to answer questions about it in class.

In response to xer's message: Somebody should make a big sponge hammer for users to use when suffering from computer rage.

Followup to Ryan's question: How about turning the question around as follows:
   Does anyone out there (besides me) *NOT* have bootleg/illegal software?

Some interesting story involving England and the internet
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/dynamic/news...view_text_id=469291

Wow....

Looks like this message board is a bigger flop than "Ishtar". That may actually be news unto itself.

:)

HEy how u doin!!

Thanks for askin! I am doing faaine. But lot ma debat on fryday. It aint good. You know why? Cause peopl here are too afraid of other's knowledge. They dont understan' that thay caynt stop hackers by stopping the knowledge. You can stop hackers only by making people smarter. I tell yauall believe in dis. There aint going be no thieves if everyone is a thief. Goowd Loowrd!! There aint gonna be no hackers when youaawll are hackers!

PS: I got a little carried away with the superbowl ads at- www.iflims.com

How about them Patriots....U can say whatever u like.
But they opened a can of whoop ass on sunday. They showed me that there's no I in team. eeewwwwww yeahhhhhhhh!!!!!
On behalf of the UIC family, I like to thank the men and women of the arm forces for doing whatever yall doing.
K-Peace.