Bill Gates' piracy confession (you read it right)

Element Alpha

Element Alpha

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WSJ: You watch physics lectures and Harlem Globetrotters [on YouTube]?

Gates: This social-networking thing takes you to crazy places.

WSJ: But those were stolen, correct?

Gates: Stolen's a strong word. It's copyrighted content that the owner wasn't paid for. So yes.
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theinquirer.net has a very valid remark:
So if you get caught with a copy of a pirated version of Windows XP, Bill seems to be suggesting that 'stolen' would be a strong word for what you have.

Either that, or Bill considers the software and movie industry's stance on pirated material is a bit harsh when it is applied to an individual.
Click to expand...

source:
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=32599
http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=3116
http://www.computerworld.com/blogs/node/2803
 
Wait. It wasn't him who had pirated the video, was it?
 
I knew Mr. Gates would never betray us. <3
 
I expected to hear a tale of wooden legs, cutlasses, dabloons, grog, parrots, cannons and pieces o' eight.

I think thats all blown way out of proportion. He viewed some content on the internet that turned out to be stolen. Him and a million others.
 
He saw a pirated vid! We must cut out his eyes in retribution :sniper:
 
15357 said:
So, this doesn't matter in the slightest.
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That would be true if it was only the people who crack the software in the first place who get labeled pirates.
 
He didn't download them, right? He watched them, most likely not knowing that it was piracy.
 
I thought the point was that he said: "Stolen's a strong word. It's copyrighted content that the owner wasn't paid for. So yes."

He did the same thing millions of people do to his software (downloading and using unlicensed copyrighted content), but didn't call it stealing.

Or am I missing something?
 
If a guy who has $40 billion in the bank account pirates stuff what chance has the rest of us got?
 
Cormeh said:
I expected to hear a tale of wooden legs, cutlasses, dabloons, grog, parrots, cannons and pieces o' eight.
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QFE. ;(
 
Wow, so I guess watching things on Youtube just gives away your ownership to anything :upstare:

"HAY GUYZ BILLIE GAITS WATCHED THINGS ON YOUTUBE I GUEZZ U CN STEEL HIS OPARATING SISTIM!"
 
15357 said:
He didn't download them, right? He watched them, most likely not knowing that it was piracy.
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The mpaa would say thats equivalant to breaking into a cinema and watching movies without paying.
 
If you want to be rich, you're gonna have to break the rules sometimes.
 
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