File sharing or the use of the same file by more than one person would I suppose be technically legal if only one person is using the file per license owned and if the file is only being stored on the property of one person. However, because those are big ifs and using that probably would cause unnecessary legal wrangling. I would tend to believe that files ought to only be held by those who also hold the license, and I believe that is what the law says and what the contracts that the user generally agrees to (when the software is installed) usually says.
File sharing is then the same as stealing and, as the Bible says, ought to be punished by restitution. The down-loaders ought to pay the price that it would have cost to buy the files out right plus a percentage and court costs. This percentage is 20% in the Bible but that is just a guide line and the actual percentage could be higher if needed but the entire punishment should not total more than 200% plus court fees. The court fees would obviously go to the court, while the rest of the money would go to the author of the files.
If companies want to do more to stop illegal file sharing than they ought to 1) lower prices and 2) set up a file buying system on line where there is either a free trial before a person must commit to buying the files or the buyer should submit to having special installation software and to allow for a virtual “return of purchase” just as is available with any other product in America.
No comments:
Post a Comment