Have I Stolen?
I'm getting fussy in my old age, what with being generally perturbed by all the people who admit that they spooge off their neighbors' unguarded WiFi or download stuff off BitTorrent.
But then I got to thinking about my computer. Is it a log in my eye?
I'm a huge Lilo & Stitch nut. Last year when I got the Mac I decided to buy CandyBar and IconBuilder so that I could add Icon Creation to my list of "talents". I then made for myself only a series of Stitch Icons for use on my Mac. (Which is named "Stitch")
Technically these are all ®Disney, but I took the art from their "available" download activity pages (coloring pages, promo desktops, etc.) and spent several hours manipulating them. I've never sold or traded the Icons. So, is it wrong?
UPDATE: For those in the "get a life" category, I'd like to point out that this little exercise in Icon building was time spent honing skills I use in my business every day. Time you yourself might have spent either hanging out at Alternet or drunk off your butt playing Doom.
posted by Kat Coble @ 9:45 PM
13 comments
13 Comments:
I figure this is between you and that gray-bearded guy you call God.
Disney will make out just fine on their own.
Nope. If it's for personal use and you don't sell it, they can go pound sand. Heck, you could give these things away to a friend and it'd still be legal (this is the whole argument raging about music these days). This is why mix tapes were ruled completely legal back in 1978 (I think).
It's sad to me that the various industries (records, movies, etc), have been able to "educate" the public into thinking that something like this is even remotely illegal. It's how we got to the point where taking a picture of a "copyrighted" work of art that's on display in a public park (and paid for with taxpayer money) is somehow deemed to be a violation of somebody's intellectual property. STOP THE MADNESS.
Go here for the story: http://newurbanist.blogspot.com/2005/01/copyrighting-of-public-space.html
See also: Free Mickey
Jason
You seriously, seriously, seriously need to get a life.
You seriously, seriously, seriously need to get a life.
Was that EVER in question?
Judging from the content of this blog I would say "no".
Yes.
It is wrong.
You're going straight to hell.
Just kidding! ;)
I agree with Anonymous!
Which anonymous, Joel?
Jason or the "get a life" anonymous?
We don't play Doom anymore...we play Quake now, thank you!
Kat,
I greatly respect you for asking yourself these questions.
I wonder if folks such as "Anonymous" have ever published their own copyrighted works and had them ripped off. Somehow, I doubt it.
Extending this argument, I wonder if folks like "Anonymous" have ever been ripped off in general: burglarized, mugged, et cetera. Maybe so.
Given the answer to my second question is in the affirmative, I wonder how "Anonymous" would justify the behavior of the thief. Perhaps that "Anonymous" had too much stuff anyway, so it was good and right for the thief to skim a little bit off the top for him or herself?
Believe me, Kat, I'm not questioning your Lilo and Stitch thing at all--not in the least. What am I saying, then? Simply that dialogue concerning respect for copyright ought to be treated with the respect it deserves.
It galls me when folks (especially those of the "Anonymous" variety) reduce important issues like this to simple black-and-white.
Thanks for allowing me to share.
Tim W.
For just a second there, I thought that said "Time Warner" and I was very impressed with your ability to pull the big guys into this discussion.
Aunt B.,
As you can imagine, you are neither the first nor the last person to have made that association between my name and the cable television company. :)
Truth be told, I heard it more when my wife and I lived in Upstate NY, where Time Warner Cable is actually their cable service provider...
But anyway--nope, I'm just a little guy--literally and figuratively.
-T
If Disney offered the files for public download, I think it's safe to say that you can use them for personl use however you wish.
I have to disagree with you on "stealing" a neighbor's Wifi.
I don't, I have my own encrypted Wifi connection, but I don't see a problem with the notion. It's one thing to camp out under your neighbor's window but if the wifi signal is unencrypted and reachs into your home, I'd say your neighbor has voided any claims to it. If they hang a giant painting in their front yard, it's free for anyone who walks by to enjoy looking at.
Now if they encrypt it (which they should anyways) it's different because they've actually taken a step to limit the service to themselves only (similar to hanging a cloth over the painting in their front yard so only they get to enjoy it).
Similar to those who, upon moving into a new place, find that the cable is still activated for the remainder of the month. I see no harm in using the cable until it expires.
Oh, and to the "get a life" people, what is "a life" if not doing what we enjoy? You might not enjoy the same things as others but that doesn't negate their enjoyment of the activities.
Sheesh, just look at the people I'm now associated with through blogging! I'll surely get kicked out of the CofC for this ;-) That slippery slope thing and all.
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