If you are using anything other then 7000 your a Pirate

I don't think you can class using a leaked build as piracy, for the simple fact its not even a retail product yet, it also has an expiration date.

If you were to wait till the rtm, crack it, and use it without paying for it, then that is piracy...

Actually, using leaked builds is kinda worse than piracy, cause it's like secret stolen goods.

Howdr said:

OK now that I have stimulated thought here...........

I think that MS should support registered users in using what ever build is out there.

What I'm saying is being open is better, as long as people understand they are testing and not getting a finished product.

So registered and in contact with MS then any build is ok officially.

I'm not upset with the other builds just that so many have no idea what they are doing and then complain. They at times compare what the build is to what the finished Windows 7 will be, to date the only build that is close to the finished available is 7077, there is new build I know of but its not yet available

Arrrrr

What kind of cookie do you want?
Anyway,
This was an interesting thread:

Windows 7 RC

copernicus said:

Actually, using leaked builds is kinda worse than piracy, cause it's like secret stolen goods.

Maybe in your opinion but thats not how the law would see it or how it is.

SIW2 said:

There is no copyright infringement.

To prove that, the plaintiff has to show loss of income ( or potential loss).

7 is not for sale, so that is a non starter.

That is untrue, Microsoft or any other company can prove value, research costs money, and the beta test program does cost Microsoft money, intellectual property has value.

there is a copyright infringement when you use software that was not released to you, in this case its stolen property.

If I steal a bunch of old stuff out of your back yard, it may not have any real world value, yet I could still be charged with theft, it has happened right here in my town.

I'm not saying I agree with this but we are close to the Naptser suits here, what has value and what does not. The courts did uphold intellectual property rights. I think this is the same as downloading music and movies, you may not have put them there, but you violate the copy right by down loading then enjoying them after that. Seems to me you are getting versions of 7 that are different in some way, not build 7000, build 7000 is the only authorized release, so you are enjoying material that has not been authorized by MS and therefore like the music and movies violating copy right. Take it one more step, I have a copy of an Eagles song I paid for as studio copy, then a live version is out on the net and I down load the same song but that version, I broke the law. To me the courts would see it this way.

Bottom line, Microsoft did not release these builds, so we should not have them ( I'm glad to have it BTW) I just cannot see how anyone thinks this is legal?

win7 said:

Maybe in your opinion but thats not how the law would see it or how it is.

How do you know? Talked to the lawyers at Microsoft lately? I think a multibillion dollar corporation could win any thing in court no matter what "Common sense believes"

I tend to think my 7077 is not authorized and satisfied that I'm not clean on this. ( A pirate) but after how Vista sucks I think its ok on my conscience.

smarteyeball said:

Not much of a secret though is it?

Even though MS doesn't officialy support these builds, they're still getting plenty of telemetry data from them.

As it's been mentioned time and again, if MS really didn't want us using these builds, they could easily de-activate all non-7000 builds if they wished.

Nice in theory but then it deactivates the ones who legitimately are testing the builds, I think that comment is just a come back, it would be too hard for them to do at this point they would of have to have done this from the beginning.

Did you read the first post? Where I quoted one of the Microsoft development team's response to the other builds?

Its clear they did not want us to have them.