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Originally Posted by d-null
interesting explanation Dan
so are you also saying then that copyright of any software only pertains to the distribution of that software.... in other words there is no legal problem with stealing software and using it as long as you don't distribute it??
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It's illegal, but for a different reason. You can be sued by the store you stole it from. If you downloaded it online, the software owner could technically sue you to take back the copy, if they can prove you got a copy they didn't authorize (copyright, right to make that copy lied with the author or anyone they licensed that right to). The person you downloaded from, though, is the person liable for copyright infringement.
If you follow the RIAA/MPAA's tens of thousands of copyright lawsuits against music and movie file sharers, you'll notice that they only sue
sharers, not downloaders. Only the distributors are making copies, they're the only ones they can go after for violating copyright laws.