[LINK] Digital property (was RE: It's Queensland - (sorry to Qlders))

Ash Nallawalla ash at melbpc.org.au
Fri May 20 11:05:35 AEST 2011


Moving away from the Ben Grubb incident and improper detention...

I get it that digital data falls under intellectual property and copyright
laws, when it comes to topics such as video or software piracy. Let's not
talk about IP theft.

But if I moved a document (say, your own novel manuscript) from your PC to
mine - moved as in deleted your copy and pasted into mine - did I "steal"
your "property"? If not, what noun describes the file in legal language? I
haven't infringed your copyright, since I haven't published it; you simply
no longer have the bytes.

It is probably criminal damage, possibly criminal trespass (IANAL), breach
of other Acts, etc but I'm curious about the noun you no longer have.

- Ash

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Richard Chirgwin
> Sent: Thursday, 19 May 2011 15:39
> To: link at mailman.anu.edu.au
> Subject: Re: [LINK] It's Queensland - (sorry to Qlders)
> 
> (An aside. Journalists don't want to know this, or the IT journos anyway.
I've
> discussed this on a Website and in an invitation-only e-mail list; I get
the
> "don't make eye contact" treatment, as if calling a lawyer is a really
strange
> concept.)





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