I posted an email to this BBC page:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6960304.stm
but it didn't get printed, sniff, I must have been too slow.
Anyway what I said was this.
Here are some scenarios:
1) I'm on metered broadband and a freeloader downloading stuff means that one month I exceed my limit and have no more Internet, or get a sh*tty letter, or have to pay more. Not good.
2) freeloaders downloing mp3s and divxs could severly slow down my connection which I use for work. That would be very annoying.
3) freeloaders download child porn or carry out phishing scams or ebay fraud or whatever using my connection. The police knock on my door (or kick it down).
Until broadband is totally free and has a huge bandwidth so that 1 and 2 don't matter any more I would say it IS stealing. Once those aren't a consideration any more then it will become a more philosophical matter for sure.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6960304.stm
but it didn't get printed, sniff, I must have been too slow.
Anyway what I said was this.
Here are some scenarios:
1) I'm on metered broadband and a freeloader downloading stuff means that one month I exceed my limit and have no more Internet, or get a sh*tty letter, or have to pay more. Not good.
2) freeloaders downloing mp3s and divxs could severly slow down my connection which I use for work. That would be very annoying.
3) freeloaders download child porn or carry out phishing scams or ebay fraud or whatever using my connection. The police knock on my door (or kick it down).
Until broadband is totally free and has a huge bandwidth so that 1 and 2 don't matter any more I would say it IS stealing. Once those aren't a consideration any more then it will become a more philosophical matter for sure.