http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=070818_1__OKLAH37332
quote:
Former OSU student faces Internet piracy charges
By The Associated Press
8/18/2007 7:33 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY -- A former Oklahoma State University student has been accused of being part of a group of computer hackers who copy, modify and distribute copyrighted material online.
Joseph Ryan Hershberger, 28, has been indicted on federal conspiracy and copyright infringement charges as part of the Justice Department's focus on enforcing intellectual property rights.
Hershberger of Austin, Texas, is accused of downloading more than $40,000 worth of pirated software between 2000 and 2004 while a student at OSU, the indictment states.
Hershberger earned a master's degree in electrical engineering at OSU in 2005 and currently works as a computer programmer. He pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned in U.S. District Court on Monday.
Prosecutors allege that Hershberger is a member of the "warez scene," an organized group of people who since the early 1990s have worked together to "crack" the copyright protection of movies, games, music and software and distribute them to others, according to the Justice Department.
Authorities have estimated that fewer than a dozen of the largest "warez" groups are responsible for the majority of pirated software, games and movies available online.
I giggle when people try to use terms they don't understand.
I say "make them walk the plank".
What's more, its legal to create software to crack protection on CDs and software if you want to. You OWN the information on the disc and have the right to use it, convert its format, and back it up as you deem fit. If it requires software to get it off of the disc to back it up, so be it.
What's illegal is then using that software to copy the DVD for use (non-backup copy). Much like your VCR can duplicate tapes, but it is illegal to rent and copy a VHS.
My 7 year old is kinda hard on movies... so I back up all the kids discs and put the real copies in my room. He is then free to destroy his movies as he sees fit.
Supposedly this hit NPR