Moral Quandary....SOLVED! :)

[Jesus_marley]

I am in a bit of a moral quandary right now....

recently my GF's computer has crashed. It doesn't appear to be a HD issue. I just think the OS (WinXP) decided to die. now here is the problem.....

When my GF bought the computer, we had a friend (at the time.... not anymore though... just moved on) install the OS. He has a small computer business and offered to do it for barter. Well, he ended up installing a cracked version of WinXP which we discovered later when we went to install some updates. That was mildly annoying but not earth shattering since the computer continued to work.

Now the OS is dead. It won't even boot in safe mode. We are now faced with shelling out for a full version of XP....

Now the quandary part.... A friend who works for microsoft has stated that we can get a free version from microsoft if we report our fomer friend for what he did. Doing so will mean he loses his MS licences and thus his business.

Do I ruin a guys livelihood for a short term gain? Even though he is the author of his own destruction? Or do I suck it up... knowing he may be doing the same thing to others....

EDIT: Turns out a friend from Seattle is coming up with a spare licensed version that he is giving us... as well, we took this opportunity to purchase an upgrade for the computer. Got a 3.2 Gig barebone kit and a 250 gig HD for 300 bucks. All we need to do is strip the old model of the gear and we're good to go.

 

[frankthedm]

You got software for cheap and "updated" it? :\

Now the quandary part.... A friend who works for microsoft has stated that we can get a free version from microsoft if we report our fomer friend for what he did. Doing so will mean he loses his MS licences and thus his business.

Do I ruin a guys livelihood for a short term gain? Even though he is the author of his own destruction? Or do I suck it up... knowing he may be doing the same thing to others....

Can you afford the former friend's reprisal if he finds out?

Do you wish to stand up to be counted with the CopyReich?

 

[Jesus_marley]

We thought we were getting a legit version... we found out after it was too late that we got a cracked version. (we were on the other side of the country by then.)

 

[Shemeska]

I wouldn't report the friend, given that he was doing you a favor at the time. Is shelling out for a copy of XP worth the knowledge that you'll probably screw the guy over for something that frankly happens all the time (snagging unpaid for copies of an OS)?

 

[Arnwyn]

We thought we were getting a legit version... we found out after it was too late that we got a cracked version. (we were on the other side of the country by then.)

What did you "barter" (according to your OP)? That might help you determine whether you should report him or not.

After all, you did think you were getting a legit version... (though you should always get a disc if that's the case). Pre-installed nonsense (especially Windows) is bad, bad, bad...

 

[grimwell]

What happened to your license for the original install of Windows XP that 'died' and caused you to rely on your friend and get in this quandry? Where are your original install disks? Software key? If you started with a legit copy of WinXP it should be easy to reinstall -- even if you have to borrow disks you enter the key you own legally.

If you didn't start with a legit copy of XP you are in no position to report your friend, as he merely did what you did prior. You can't expect that he'd give you a free and valid copy of XP to replace a crashed bootleg...

Forgive the accusatory tone here, but it's not adding up with the detail you have provided so far. If you have the original key/disks you have no problems.

 

[SteelDraco]

No, you shouldn't report him. Doing so would be a reprehensible action, IMO. If you've ever called someone your friend, you shouldn't destroy their livelihood for personal gain.

 

[Mallus]

Hmmm, someone else used 'reprehensible', so I'll call reporting your former friend 'abhorrent'.

You had no problem using an illegal copy of the OS. You didnt uninstall it when you discovered its legal status. You didn't immediately report the person to Microsoft when there wasn't financial gain involved. So that puts you and your former friend on the same ethical grounds.

So the question becomes: "Should I willingly do harm to another person solely for my own short-term (and frankly, penny-ante) personal gain?

 

[werk]

Buy a legal copy like you should have in the first place.

Your friend broke the law in trying to help you out. Turning him in to save more money is simply bad karma.

Suck it up, play by the rules, no problems.

 

[Simplicity]

Only turn the guy in if feel like seeing his life ruined by the BSA. You said he was a friend... I wouldn't send a friend to prison, even if he did do something kind of jerky like that. I'm against piracy, but I'm not for the iron fist of the piracy police.