@roesti Thanks for being the one voice of reason. You make the points I was thinking about much better than I can.

6 minutes ago, roesti said:

I don't think so, because I buy the stuff I want. Still, I'd think the court is on my side here when it comes to piracy.

Ask me how I know LOL

2 minutes ago, sd_flyer said:

Ask me how I know LOL

Okay 😄 I'm afraid to ask.. but you really know a case, where somebody who pirated stuff was convicted for "theft"?

 

Quote

 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the penalty for software piracy?
   Penalties range from civil damages ($750 to $150,000 per infringement) to criminal fines of $250,000 and imprisonment up to five years.
2. Is software piracy a felony?
   Yes, in cases involving willful and commercial infringement, software piracy can result in a felony charge under U.S. federal law.
3. Can a business be held liable for an employee's software piracy?
   Yes, if the company fails to enforce licensing compliance or knowingly allows unlicensed use, it may face corporate liability.
4. How can I tell if my software is pirated?
   Signs include missing license keys, lack of official documentation, altered branding, or software that doesn’t receive updates.
5. What should I do if I unknowingly used pirated software?
   Immediately cease use, uninstall the software, and consult a legal professional to determine your exposure and how to remedy the issue.

If you need help understanding software piracy penalties, you can post your legal need on UpCounsel's marketplace. UpCounsel accepts only the top 5 percent of lawyers to its site. Lawyers on UpCounsel come from law schools such as Harvard Law and Yale Law and average 14 years of legal experience, including work with or on behalf of companies like Google, Menlo Ventures, and Airbnb.

 

So what would the courts agree with again?   

Edited October 6, 2025Oct 6 by psolk

Just now, psolk said:

willful and commercial infringement

Yeah, like you quoted. Copyright infringement, no things like "theft" mentioned.

2 minutes ago, roesti said:

Yeah, like you quoted. Copyright infringement, no things like "theft" mentioned.

That says COMMERCIAL infringement not copyright... It also says it is a crime.  Whether it is theft or copyright infringement is irrelevant, it is a crime. 

Edited October 6, 2025Oct 6 by psolk

Just now, roesti said:

Okay 😄 I'm afraid to ask.. but you really know a case, where somebody who pirated stuff was convicted for "theft"?

If caught yes, up to 10 years in prison (if your defense attorney is bad) LOL Remember intellectual property theft is also economic espionage.

Just now, psolk said:

That says COMMERCIAL infringement not copyright... 

And still, there's no mentioning of "stealing" or "theft". Why is that? Because digital bits and bytes on your hard disk won't get "stolen", they will get copied (with no permission).

I’m locking this topic for the time being because discussion has drifted away from the topic title.

It will be reopened once a decision had been taken.

Yep!  Locked and staying that way!!