Is it illegal to download software ?

Andy_L

debitcardmayhem wrote: »

I wave the right to copyright my post for this thread only.

I've got the feeling that, as part of the T&Cs of the site, you've aleady passed the copyright over to Martin

chrisbur

Andy_L wrote: »

I've got the feeling that, as part of the T&Cs of the site, you've aleady passed the copyright over to Martin

7. Your content
7.1 Just so that you know, you own any copyright in the text that you post to our chat forums. However, when you post text, you expressly grant us a perpetual, unlimited free license to republish that text on our site and to redistribute/make available and/or sell that text in print or electronic form anywhere in the world as part of an edited compilation or otherwise.

[Deleted User]

Look, if your friend is downloading software licenses that he doesn't own, it's been illegal for quite a long time. Examples would be a copy of MS Word with a 'cracked' license.

If your friend is downloading copies of Linux using torrents --- legal
If your friend is downloading open source software, from sites such as sourceforge.net - that is also legal

These days there's so much good free software I can't believe anyone bothers pirating stuff

kwikbreaks

stmarcus wrote: »

Does it also apply for software, where software companies can also ask ISPs for info to prosecute people.

You haven't understood what the law actually is. Nobody asks the ISPs to prosecute anybody. There isn't even any requirement for them to monitor their customers activities.

It is up to the copyright owners to monitor the IP addresses involved in the distribution of copyright material (in practice this means users of torrents and other p2p) they can then contact the ISP owning individual IPs and require them to send their customer a warning letter (in the first instance). It really isn't that much different from what is done now where they request the name and address of the customer using a specific IP on some given date and time and then get their attack lawyers to send a threatening letter demanding money.

tom_petty

By law yes it is illegal if it is a bootleg or cracked. But this only applies if the software company actively comes after you.

From various news it seems the games and music companies are the worst

st999

It is only illegal if you are caught:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:;)

aliEnRIK

ooooooo, I have a FRIEND that wants to know this too...........

INT1

Whats to stop someone pulling up outside your house downloading illegal software?!

Those of course who haven't secured their networks, but then even these can be hacked in to.

BillScarab

INT1 wrote: »

Whats to stop someone pulling up outside your house downloading illegal software?!

Those of course who haven't secured their networks, but then even these can be hacked in to.

In practice nothing. However, would you want to sit outside someone's house for however long it takes to download?

Much simpler to do it at home and hide your IP or just borrow a disc off a friend.

Shandy28

INT1 wrote: »

Whats to stop someone pulling up outside your house downloading illegal software?!

Those of course who haven't secured their networks, but then even these can be hacked in to.

Metal gates and guard dogs