[PLUG] Abe Lincoln would likely laugh at Eisner

[Russ Johnson]

On Fri, 2002-03-29 at 08:23, Nathan Meyers wrote:
> On Fri, Mar 29, 2002 at 08:03:33AM -0800, Greg Long wrote:
> > Those who cry theft fail to observe the fundamental difference between 
> > outright theft and copyright infringement:  When something is copied, 
> > the original owner still has his or her copy, whereas if someone steals 
> > my car, I'm walking.
> 
> So if someone steals and cashes a paycheck out of your mailbox, it's just
> infringement instead of theft.

No, because there's only one copy of that check. Whereas, with a CD or
tape, there are thousands or millions of copies floating about, and the
original is still in the owners hands.

> Not that I agree with Eisner and with the
> massive subversion of copyright law now going on, but infringement does
> deprive copyright holders of income.

Not if the person with the "illegal" copy wouldn't have bought it.