[LINK] In other news....

[Stewart Fist]

Stil writes
> 
> I agree that it shouldn't be called "piracy" or "theft". But I think we need
> a word that more strongly indicates that social rules have been broken than
> the rather lame "copyright infringement".


I'm quite happy with both "piracy" and "theft".  Legal documents don't
decide how we use common terminology -- its the other way around.  Denial of
this just throws us back on euphemisms and convoluted legalistic
expressions.

Words change in meaning constantly and just because theft always involved
material goods in the 1700s when the laws were being written, doesn't mean
that it is still so limited.  There were no cars in the 1700s, but you can
still steal a car (or do we have to say "unlawful utilisation of a motor
vehicle?")

We talk about John Howard "stealing ideas" from Kevin Rudd, so why can we
talk of copyright stealing but not theft.  Doesn't make sense.

'Piracy' was originally just a euphemism for 'theft' -- but it has become
more specific in recent times.  And it appears to be only applied to
non-material goods these days for the simple reason that we assume the old
swashbuckling days are gone, except in the dot-com arena.

Both of these are good and useful words, which are clearly understood by
everyone -- which is what language is all about.

Of course it is piracy.  Of course it is theft.

Both words mean that you are appropriating something that belongs to someone
else.


-- 
Stewart Fist, writer, journalist, film-maker
70 Middle Harbour Road, LINDFIELD, 2070, NSW, Australia
Ph +61 (2) 9416 7458