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Well, it is not theft. Theft means that what you are stealing is not there anymore afterwards. Like actually stealing (unique) plans. Not saying that copying is

by filmor 8y ago

Well, it is not theft. Theft means that what you are stealing is not there anymore afterwards. Like actually stealing (unique) plans. Not saying that copying is actually okay, but using more sensational terminology is not really helping. Same thing is going on with "piracy", in Germany they actually coined the term "Raubkopie" (robbed copy) which implies that a copy is taken by violent force.

askaboutit 8y ago
What about theft of revenue, profits, money spent on new R&D because there is a company or government willing to copy your idea and subsidize its development heavily as to maximise their economic growth. It’s theft. Handbags to manufacturing techniques. Source code to schematics. Science to business models. It’s all meant to prop up local business. Pin duo duo just had their IPO. Now there’s so many fakes and copies that no one knows what’s real on their anymore. Didi vs Uber is a great example. Didi copied the idea, took government subsidies. But then the government stole the competition completely by shutting down Uber and forcing a merger with Didi.
- filmor 8y ago
  You can't just redefine "theft" as "deprive of potential earnings/subsidies", watering down definitions is helping no one. I agree that the depriving is what is happening here by copying but this is what shouls be called out then, not a made-up theft.
- TeMPOraL 8y ago
  > What about theft of revenue, profits, money spent on new R&D If you redefine it like that, then competition itself is theft. After all, if I start competing with you, I deprive you of revenue/profits by forcing you to decrease your margins...
eps 8y ago
It is a theft, plain and simple. You are depriving the victim of earnings associated with the IP, market position, sales opportunites, all the while sticking them with r&d expenses, which happens even if you are making a copy for personal use.

by filmor 8y ago

askaboutit 8y ago

What about theft of revenue, profits, money spent on new R&D because there is a company or government willing to copy your idea and subsidize its development heavily as to maximise their economic growth. It’s theft. Handbags to manufacturing techniques. Source code to schematics. Science to business models. It’s all meant to prop up local business. Pin duo duo just had their IPO. Now there’s so many fakes and copies that no one knows what’s real on their anymore. Didi vs Uber is a great example. Didi copied the idea, took government subsidies. But then the government stole the competition completely by shutting down Uber and forcing a merger with Didi.

filmor 8y ago
You can't just redefine "theft" as "deprive of potential earnings/subsidies", watering down definitions is helping no one. I agree that the depriving is what is happening here by copying but this is what shouls be called out then, not a made-up theft.
TeMPOraL 8y ago
> What about theft of revenue, profits, money spent on new R&D If you redefine it like that, then competition itself is theft. After all, if I start competing with you, I deprive you of revenue/profits by forcing you to decrease your margins...

eps 8y ago

It is a theft, plain and simple. You are depriving the victim of earnings associated with the IP, market position, sales opportunites, all the while sticking them with r&d expenses, which happens even if you are making a copy for personal use.