08.07
As an operator of the Dutch Ubuntu channel on Freenode we regularly get questions from people asking to help them with their file sharing applications. Usually I tell them this kind of thing is out of bounds. Quite regularly folks will start to ask why this is out of bounds, which always amazes me. Folks, whether or not file sharing is legal or illegal in your particular country, it certainly does cross a moral boundary. When I publish my own work, I’d like people to respect my rights as an author. As an open source enthusiast I’d like companies to respect the GPL, which in essence is empowered by copyright law. Why should I expect others to respect my rights, when I don’t have respect for others rights?
Respecting each others (rights) is at the core of the Ubuntu way of life. If you really care about Ubuntu (Linux) don’t help people asking for help with file sharing… and ideally don’t file share yourself, or at least purchase stuff you really like and/or use often.
