IF..THEN syntax

[therian]

This isn't directed at anyone in this thread. It is directed at the rather vaque attempt to justify theft.

Sorry, but I totally dissagree with that logic. A thief is still a thief. No matter whether he/she breaks into someones home to steal their belongings, steals software, steals a persons car, pet, or anything else for that matter.

A thief steals from real people. Most often, these people are hard-working folks such as MeLabs, and countless others, that have great regard for hard work, honesty, and integrity. People that have often started out with little or no money, and worked very hard to get to where they are in life by honest means.

Honest - hard-working people, end up paying for everything thieves steal. In one way or another. And, to me, there is no form of justification whatsoever that makes that an easy pill to swallow.

If you want something in life, and you want it badly enough, then work, save, do without little things from time-to-time, until you can afford to get it. If you steal everything along the way, then, sadly, you're still just a thief when you arrive. And honest 9/5 hard-working people will have paid your way there.

Is it OK for someone from a poor country to steal? Is it OK for someone with no money or a job to steal?

Answer that for yourself when they break into your house some day and steal everything you own. If you're the theif, then justify your own actions when someone in turn ripps YOU off. Food for thought isn't it?

How excited will you be that he/she are now getting their education with the PC & tools that they stole from your home?

Honest, hard working individuals, such as many on this forum that have scrimped & saved, done without, set goals, and worked very hard to get the tools & education they want/need, will forever be paying for things, in one form or another that others steal.

I totally agree with your statement But, we can only hope, that our future scientists, technicians, and all others involved in our success in the future, aren't common thieves. Will you trust them with your life? Best wishes if you do.!

No matter what they put forth as justification for their actions, I don't want them in my court. I'll stick with the hard working honest folks that have worked for what they have. Folks I can trust to watch my back.

Science alone will not get us there. We need a mixture of honesty, integrity, and morals to go with our new tallent, if we're going to make soup worth serving...;o}

There is one big difference between house buggery and using unregistered copy. When House thief happen it affect someone directly but when someone decide in example to read himself a copy of a book from friend instead of buying it no one really affected. if you thinking that company lose money from every illegal copy than think about this - do you really think that those who have pirate copy would buy program in case there was no such pirated copy ? in 95 % those people will juts forget about and look for something else, so we cant say that each pirate copy hurt a company. in many cases the pirated copy work as really good commercial because if you not a pig , you will finally buy the program to show respect to developers, when you will have enough money and Im sure you will recommend the program to you friends if they ask where to start from. I just believe based on my own experience that if Software is really pice of art , nothing can hurt it. I will be honest and admit that I bought PBP not because something was wrong with pirated version which i had and it did not work appropriately, I just see all great work which was done by developers, so i wanted to thank them.
I think there is no more need to discuses it because you newer can be 100% right about piracy because it really tricky by it nature to tell if it bad or not, and it will exist as long as humans exist no matter what you think about.