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

[Jan Whitaker]

At 11:05 AM 20/05/2011, Ash Nallawalla wrote:
>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.

Malicious trespass? Sorta like if you come onto someone's property 
and steal their trees or just cut them down and leave them?
IANAL either. Ash's example may actually meet the test of 'theft', 
but what if that wasn't the only copy of the novel?

Interesting existential questions.

Jan



Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
jwhit at janwhitaker.com
blog: http://janwhitaker.com/jansblog/
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Our truest response to the irrationality of the world is to paint or 
sing or write, for only in such response do we find truth.
~Madeline L'Engle, writer

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