NOW LIVE! Today's the day you meet your new best friend. You don’t have to leave Wolfy behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' your companions level up with you!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Voadam" data-source="post: 4916712" data-attributes="member: 2209">Wait. My friends bought GURPS, various Palladium games, Shadowrun, WFRP, Star Frontiers, Rolemaster, Paranoia, Vampire and Mage and ran games four our group back in the 80s and 90s. I played in those games, borrowed and read their books, learned the systems, made characters, etc. I never bought any of those books (Or some only years afterwards).I gained data from those books. I now have ideas those books presented.I never paid for any of it.I am not a thief.. . .Gaining the ideas/data without paying for them is not illegal.Sharing a book is not illegal.Reading a book the ideas are copied into your head and you get them.Now if I copy the ideas down in a non infringing manner (memorizing, rewriting in my own words, fair use copying, etc.) and return the book then I have a copy of the data that is non infringing. I have not wronged my friend or legally wronged the copywrite holder.If I copy the ideas down in an infringing manner and return it then I have a copy and violated copywrite. My friend still has his book, however. I have not harmed my friend. The author/publisher has the copywrite that has been violated.If I take my friend's book then I have stolen his book. I have not, however, violated the copywrite holder's legal rights even if he loses a potential sale.If I sneak onto my friend's computer and secretly send his file to mine (instead of sending a copy and leaving his original file behind). I have stolen his electronic copy of the book. But I again have not violated the copywrite holder's copywrite.Motivation seems irrelevant to me. Format seems irrelevant to me. The distinction is between copying (some of which is prohibited and some is not) and taking.</blockquote>

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