Re: More paranoia: Microsoft and MACs

[Steve Cohen <stevecoh@mcs.com>]

"John J. Urbaniak" wrote:

> Nicholas Petreley wrote:
> >
> > Wandered Inn wrote:
> > >
> > > Through my own paranoia and thanks to Microsoft, I no longer register
> > > online.  I always do it now via the postal service.
> >
> > Speaking of paranoia, mine just increased a tad.
>
> Keep in mind that the new "Software Piracy law" allows companies like MS
> to sue you for something like $400,000 and put you in jail, even if all
> you did was pirate an $80 product.
>
> Piracy is wrong, but those penalties are atrocious.
>
> It allows tyrants like Gates to terrorize everybody.  Do you think he
> wouldn't hesitate one nanosecond?

Actually, I'm sure he has hesitated on this.  This kind of penalty is like
dropping the bomb.  Even Gates doesn't want to go there.  It's hard to
imagine judges enforcing such penatlies especailly against individuals.  The
negative publicity it would garner Microsoft would IMHO outweigh the award.

>
>
> I think the piracy law is a horrible law, and I'm a software developer.

But I agree with you here.  Even if he won't seek the fully penalties under
the law, he will use the law to get as much as he can, at least from
high-profile organzations.