</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />
Originally Posted by (Waychel,) Its perfectly legal to be in the possession of un-licensed software.
What is illegal is distributing un-licensed software (propogation leading to estimated losses) and using un-licensed software for a business or organization (financial benefit from an un-licensed product). Personal/private use are "legal" not because "law enforcement doesn't know", but because by itself un-licensed software isn't an illegal material to possess (...yet).
So, law enforcement can't arrest or charge anyone for the illegal possession of un-licensed software when it hasn't been made illegal yet. This is also why only the people who distribute mp3s are being sued by the RIAA, and not those who simply download or are in the possession of them, for one such example.
That's also why the RIAA is fighting like hell to change things in California - with no luck. =D<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'>
I read up on this. :)
The 'No Electronic Theft' Act (97)
"(2) by the reproduction or distribution, including by electronic means, during any 180-day period, of 1 or more copies or phonorecords of 1 or more copyrighted works, which have a total retail value of more than $ 1,000 shall be punished as provided under section 2319 of title 18, United States Code. For purposes of this subsection, evidence of reproduction or distribution of a copyrighted work, by itself, shall not be sufficient to establish willful infringement.'.
Reproduction can mean the copying or downloading of warez. It's only illegal if you have more than a grand worth (retail value) of warez which is very possible if you have broadband....