Moral Quandary....SOLVED! :)

[Aurora]

I too beleive it would be bad karma to report your friend. I would also be interested in knowing what you gave him in trade. Was it monetarily worth the value of a legit copy of Win XP? If so, I would call him and ask him to "do the right thing" and send you a legit copy. He could tell you to piss off, but at leaat you gave him a chance and karma will get him in the end, no need to alert the "piracy police" as Simplicity called them.

 

[WayneLigon]

If you can afford a computer and internet service, you can afford the $90 for the XP Home Edition (from TigerDirect, 800-800-8300) to get a clean, uncracked version of the software (as you should have done when you discovered it was cracked). I'm sure if you shop around you might be able to get a cheaper price; educational pricing is cheaper, I think. Shoot, if you're just using it for word processing and surfing, you can probably scavenge a copy of Windows 2000 or 98SE practically free off eBay or from someone upgrading to a newer OS.

If you felt like dealing with LINUX, well, it's free.

I wouldn't turn your friend in to Microsoft, though I'd ask him about it. He may have just done what you needed to get the machine up and running, assuming you'd replace the os later. If he's done this to lots of others, then I probably still wouldn't turn him in, but I'd not deal with hmi again where software is concerned. If he's 'given' you anything else, you might want to have it checked out.

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

I'd be tempted. It really depends on whether or not I thought it was a one-off thing, or if it was a common practice for him when he was doing real business (as opposed to helping out a friend).

I've seen and dealt with the aftermath too often, and it's not an uncommon practice, especially with small computer shops. It's bad enough when I lose a bid on a job because the other guy is undercutting me by using stolen software. When I have to clean up the mess and the client accuses me of lying and trying to pad the bill when I explained they were using illegal software it really frosts my shorts.

If the guy sold you a hot stereo, would you turn him in?

 

[trancejeremy]

Well, what was that barter? If it was something that cost you money out of pocket, then you can reasonably expect him to do the same. I would actually track him down and ask him for a legit copy of XP

 

[Treebore]

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.

Sorry, but I turn in drug dealers and thieves no matter what. If I happen to get a reward, so much the better, but a criminal is a criminal, no matter what. Plus they know they are committing a crime. You don't want to get busted, don't break the law in the first place.

I turn you in its your fault not mine. If your really my friend you wouldn't break the law and put me in such a situation in the first place.

I don't care if your my drug dealing uncles or cousins. If I know your doing the crime and don't turn you in I am just as responsible for your criminal acts as you are. I'm not going to let you rob and kill someone, or give some kid drugs, just because your my friend, father, mother, uncle, etc...

Your being a criminal is your problem, I'm not going to allow it to be mine.

Refusing to tuen someone in just because they are friend/family does nothing but allow the crimes to continue. They need to be held accountable no matter who they are. It is their decision, so when they decided to break the law they also decided to take the risks of going to jail.

Turn them in.

I have even told my kids, you break the law I'll send you to jail. They best remember that if they ever want to violate the law. I've taught them better. If they want to refuse to listen to their teachings, they'll have plenty to think about while they are in jail/prison.

Don't feel guilty about holding people accountable for their decisions. Whether they want to own up to it or not, it was their choice, so it is their accountability/repsonsibility.

 

[Mallus]

Sorry, but I turn in drug dealers and thieves no matter what.

Even after you smoked their dope and used their stolen property (that is, until it broke)?

See the salient detail here is the order of events. The OP discovered his copy of Windows was illegal... and then kept using it until it malfunctioned. By doing so he lost any chance at the moral high ground. He's complicit.

Ratting someone out for giving you pirated software, after you've knowingly used it for a sizable period of time makes you a jackass.

 

[Jesus_marley]

For the sake of being totally clear, I feel I should add some details....

The system was purchased second hand and did not come with an OS. The installation that we received (WinXP Pro) was accepted in good faith as being legit. (if you can't trust your friends......). Upon discovery, we looked into getting a legit copy however, money issues did not allow for it.

As well, installing a legit copy ran a serious risk of formatting the hard drive. ( It has happened before).

It is true that regardless of all, we should have remedied the situation immediately but didn't No excuse for it... other than financial. Even now, all we can afford is WinXP Home, and we are not sure if it will install over the pro version we have.

 

[The_Universe]

For the sake of being totally clear, I feel I should add some details....

The system was purchased second hand and did not come with an OS. The installation that we received (WinXP Pro) was accepted in good faith as being legit. (if you can't trust your friends......). Upon discovery, we looked into getting a legit copy however, money issues did not allow for it.

As well, installing a legit copy ran a serious risk of formatting the hard drive. ( It has happened before).

It is true that regardless of all, we should have remedied the situation immediately but didn't No excuse for it... other than financial. Even now, all we can afford is WinXP Home, and we are not sure if it will install over the pro version we have.

It will install over the version that you have, but it's going to F up your registry something fierce if you don't format the disk first.

My advice? Get some CDs or borrow a USB hard drive and back up your data, and then format the disk and install a copy of XP home. Unless you're a real power user, you're not likely to notice the difference between XP home and XP pro, anyway - based on everything you've said here thus far, I have to assume that you're a casual user.

Get legit, and leave your friend alone!

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

If you're familiar with my postings elsewhere, you'll know my stance on copyright. I also believe in things like second chances.

Here, I wouldn't want to lose a friend over this (if this is indeed a friend and not merely an acquaintance) one incident. I'd buy a brand new copy of the OS, and talk to my friend over drinks and dinner.

Basically, I'd ask him to pay part of the difference between what he charged you to install what you thought was a legit version of the OS. (No strings or conditions attached, if he didn't pay, no big deal.) After all, he did put you in a bad situation with his actions...but you also tacitly agreed to his actions by not acting immediately.

But I'd also ask him to stop installing copyrighted on my and others' computers. I might go so far as telling him that if I heard he did it again, I'd report him.

 

[Simplicity]

Refusing to tuen someone in just because they are friend/family does nothing but allow the crimes to continue. They need to be held accountable no matter who they are. It is their decision, so when they decided to break the law they also decided to take the risks of going to jail.

Turn them in.

I have even told my kids, you break the law I'll send you to jail. They best remember that if they ever want to violate the law. I've taught them better. If they want to refuse to listen to their teachings, they'll have plenty to think about while they are in jail/prison.

Don't feel guilty about holding people accountable for their decisions. Whether they want to own up to it or not, it was their choice, so it is their accountability/repsonsibility.

We're not talking about someone who shot someone, dealt drugs, or sold a hot stereo. As Mallus mentioned, there was some complicity here already. But even if there wasn't there's a difference between turning someone in to face appropriate justice, and turning someone in to face an unfair system.

Copyright law is simply not just in this area. $100,000 (per work stolen) fines plus potential prison time (up to 6 years) for copying software? That puts the crime between a class C and class D felony. You'd get a lighter punishment for commiting rape, vehicular manslaughter, or assault. And that's before the company SUES you. You might want to consider that before you turn your children in for downloading something from BitTorrent. Piracy is not good, but the legal response to it is much worse.