WARNING regarding software piracy on this site

[ixl]

It has come to my attention that at least one user of these forums has been offering to "share" software in exchange for compensation. This is illegal, and contrary to the terms to which any user of these forums must agree before posting.
Software piracy will not be tolerated in any form on these forums. This includes "sharing" files, sending CD-Rs to people, or spreading around serial numbers. Anyone caught doing this in the future will be given at most one warning and will then be banned from the forums.
Sorry to have to post this, as I know it does not apply to 99.9% of you good folks.

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Charles M. Kozierok
Webslave, The PC Guide (http://www.PCGuide.com)
Comprehensive PC Reference, Troubleshooting, Optimization and Buyer's Guides...
Note: Please reply to my forum postings here on the forums. Thanks.

[clifford819]

Originally posted by ixl:
It has come to my attention that at least one user of these forums has been offering to "share" software in exchange for compensation. This is illegal, and contrary to the terms to which any user of these forums must agree before posting.
Software piracy will not be tolerated in any form on these forums. This includes "sharing" files, sending CD-Rs to people, or spreading around serial numbers. Anyone caught doing this in the future will be given at most one warning and will then be banned from the forums.
Sorry to have to post this, as I know it does not apply to 99.9% of you good folks.



Good call ixl! I find these forum vulnerable to that piracy but not to the extent that those who want to access here will take the oppurtunity to gain their self interests.


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clifford

[sea69]

I wasnt around when this was 1st posted and wasnt really even aware that this was an issue. I hadnt given it any consideration, thinking it was 'ok' to share data that I 'owned'.

I didnt know (when I 1st got here) that most of the software I thought I 'purchased' was only purchasing a 'license' to 'use' these softwares on limited basis. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/eek.gif

This subject is just becoming so VOLITILE, with eveyone claiming 'ownership' of everything residing IN THINGS THAT I OWN!!!!!!

Now, w/ further 'developements', rules, laws, regulations, restrictions, exceptions, amendments, and GOD knows what they will be telling us we cant do NEXT!! http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/mad.gif

further... I can invision soon pc makers telling us that we dont actually own our pc's, that we have paid for the license to use them , and for each person, and for a certain amount of time..?????
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ok...so now what ??



[This message has been edited by sea69 (edited 01-27-2001).]

[sea69]

"Attention:

This license to use AIR is provided for individual use. It may not be transfered to other units. It is accepted as is and there can be no enforcement of "Warranty of Merchantability"

License does NOT transfer ownership. This AIR can not be 'owned', only licensed users may have AIR. Unlicensed use of AIR will result in fines and or imprisonment, treaties internationally.

The copyright holders of AIR, its distributors, agents may not be held liable/responsible, for any coincidental or consequential events which may or may not occur, including but not limited to; loss , financial, mental, physical due to use, non-use or unknown use of AIR. "

lmao....hehehehe

http://www.zing.com/picture/pfb0bdb944db781d741adfc09cd9b326c/ff04738e.gif.orig.gif

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ok...so now what ??

[ReddDogg]

There is two sides to the entire pc software liscensing situation. One side, where sea69 seems to reside, thinks that once they buy a copy of software it should be theirs to do with as they please, and then the other side, the makers of software, say that if only one person has to buy it then they can just pass it around, we won't make any money.

If you don't want to ever pay for software, you can get away with it. I personally haven't purchased any microsoft operating systems from a store. I won't say how many of my OS install's have been illegal, and how many weren't, but I can personally say, from the expensive Paint Shop Pro, to Visual Basic 6.0, to PC Anywhere, to Macromedia Flash 5, and Dreamweaver, etc, etc it can all be found without out of pocket expense. But, legally, you are required to pay for your licsense for each copy of a given piece of software you use, just as legally you are required to obey the speed limit. You can get away without getting the licsense, as long as the right people don't ever see you, or as long as you don't take it to an extreme. However, because Charles is responsible for what goes on in the forums, and on this website, he has the right, and some would say the duty, to ban illegal sharing of files and information on this site. I don't blame him. Not one bit. And I like filesharing. But It is his call, what he feels is right, what he feels is best interest of PCGuide. Because if he lets us post here how to get the beta version of Windows Whistler, or how to Download Windows ME, or how to get Win2k, and how to get the serials, he will see his butt in court with Microsoft, you can bet you bottom dollar. So, if ya are peeved about the whole legallity of sharing your software, don't take it up with charles, or the rest of these forums, take it up with your congressman, and get the laws changed if you think they are unfair.

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Joe Redd
MCP

[This message has been edited by ReddDogg (edited 01-28-2001).]

[sea69]

Hey!! http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/eek.gif

I was making a joke of the situation !

However, on a serious note, certainly I can see why Mr. Kozieroc would need to succumb to to the conventional wisdom of not inviting the wrath of Micrsoft (or other BIG companies). This is not in question, nor is his right to do, carry out, or express ANY policies that HE see's fit.(with regard to the operation of HIS site)

I fully understand this. I do not wish to contribute (here -in this venue) any 'illegal' ventures as I believe in accountability.

I do also firmly believe that even though he may insert certain policies with regard to content allowed on this site, he is NOT / can not be soley held responsible for the opinions expressed freely by others.

lighten up.. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/tongue.gif

**additionally, if Mr. Kozierok didnt want feedback on this subject, "Announcements"- he would have just announced it and left it closed.**
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ok...so now what ??



[This message has been edited by sea69 (edited 01-28-2001).]

[mjc]

I think that one of the things I like most about this particular site is that Charles wants us to behave with restraint and in a respnosible manner. If we go around telling everyone how to get software in a questionable manner we are just contributing to the statistics that will put an end to computing as we know it. Just because someone knows how to do something doesn't mean that it is alwalys appropriate to discuss how it is done in an open, public forum. Books, sites dedicated to file sharing, forums that are a little less "public" and one-on-one are better ways to do it. I know that piracy will occur but I don't think that most of the arguements that software makers come up with really make sense but until laws are changed there is not much we can do but exhibit restraint and exercise good judgement. By not doing so we jepordize having the ability to even have this discussion.

I also know that more often than not it is the "little guy" that gets caught and not the one who has turned out a few thousand bootleg copies of Win98. If Charles says no to it then it's his site, his rules and his a** that he is thinking about and his right to do as he wants with them, so we should respect his wishes and not encourage it here.

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mjc

[sea69]

absolutely !

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ok...so now what ??

[Paleo Pete]

Very well put mjc.

Boy did this topic heat up since I posted a link to it yesterday, when someone asked where to download win98...

Anyway, it's not so much the possibility of Charles winding up in court, since as another disgruntled poster informed me, the Terms of Use Agreement for the forums specifically states that we/Charles are in no way legally liable for the advice and suggestions made here.

It does say, however that posting suggestions of questionable legality are not permitted, and that is the point. The idea is pretty much as mjc said, Charles wants this forum to be conducted in a responsible manner.

So far we've done very well, I think I've removed one link and one email address. I really hated to remove the email address, I see no reason a person shouldn't be able to pass his A+ certifcation study software along, but the EULA for it says no, so I had to. Hope I didn't tick the guy off to much...

As far as ReddDogg's suggestion to take it up with your congressman, that's an EXCELLENT idea. Check my post in PC World concerning the UCITA, and get busy sending out letters, because if it becomes law, we might not be able to even legally discuss it. But do yourself a favor, don't send your local senator a nastygram, either copy and send one of the pre-written leters available on a couple of the links posted, or compose your own in a responsible, professional manner. The nastygrams go straight to file 13...usually only half-read.

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If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you!
Note: Please post your questions on the forums, not in my email.

Computer Information Links (http://www.geocities.com/paleopete/)

[ixl]

Hi everyone, thanks for your thoughts. As usual, I have a comment or two. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/wink.gif
First, there are really a number of issues here. You should understand that I play several roles in this. I am an (opinionated) individual, but I also run a web site and a business. Sometimes I must suppress my feelings as the former due to the prudence required of the latter.
My personal views on software licensing and copyrihgt are being reflected in my .....technobabble (http://www.PCGuide.com/tb.htm) column, which I am working on right now for next week. I feel that content providers should be protected, but there should be limits to what they can do, and how they can do it. I don't think innocent people should be treated like criminals.
As for software licensing, it's often a joke. How many other industries can attempt to enforce a contract based on someone tearing a flap of paper? It's ridiculous. At the same time, you do have the choice of not using the package if you don't like the terms.

But this is all aside from the main point. The purpose of these forums is the sharing of experience and knowledge, not software. I don't want software sharing done here, whether it is immoral or not, because it exposes me and the site to potential problems, and it's just not what the site is for.
If people want to share software they generally know where they can do it.
Note that I am just speaking in general terms here, and not trying to come down on the poster who restarted the thread here.

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Charles M. Kozierok
Webslave, The PC Guide (http://www.PCGuide.com)
Comprehensive PC Reference, Troubleshooting, Optimization and Buyer's Guides...
Note: Please reply to my forum postings here on the forums. Thanks.