Possibly the Holy Grail..

[butthead007]

if you find this entertaining (i know i did), you should check out a couple of the threads about using the verizon insurance fraudulently to get a new phone. There's some pretty good "entitlement" thinking around here.

There was also a good article on a tech site recently (can't remember which one) that talked about insurance companies noticing a huge trend in claims around the time new phones roll out. They are starting to deny claims more and more now.

As far as OP theory, won't work. ESNs are tracked. Sorry.

 

[TheSultan]

well....keeping with the religion theme......

this thread went over like a fart in church!

 

[jpgoggin]

I agree with all the posts here that this is stealing and it's wrong. What I don't understand is thread after thread explaining how to install bootlegged swype and Android 2.1, and no one says anything about stealing software. Why is it completely wrong to cheat Vz (large company making obscene prfits) out of hardware when everyone thinks it's acceptable to steal software from smaller companies, like sypeinc? I don't understand the difference in people's minds between stealing hardware and stealing software.

 

[Frisco]

I agree with all the posts here that this is stealing and it's wrong. What I don't understand is thread after thread explaining how to install bootlegged swype and Android 2.1, and no one says anything about stealing software. Why is it completely wrong to cheat Vz (large company making obscene prfits) out of hardware when everyone thinks it's acceptable to steal software from smaller companies, like sypeinc? I don't understand the difference in people's minds between stealing hardware and stealing software.

You may have a good point about the leaks being stolen software, in my opinion. I say "may have..in my opinion" because it may not be a good point, in that the leaks could have been intentionally provided/leaked by the companies involved. I find that to be a remote possibility, but a possibility these days non the less.

I remain in use of 1.5 for more provable reasons, however, not the least of which is I don't acquire my phones through unofficial sources, so I won't acquire software for them that way either.

 

[jpgoggin]

I agree that these leaks may be intentional and we are being used as free beta testers. I think my question may be more general. Why do people not feel that stealing software is really a crime?

 

[Frisco]

I agree that these leaks may be intentional and we are being used as free beta testers. I think my question may be more general. Why do people not feel that stealing software is really a crime?

One reason is that it is often not a crime. Laws addressing software interception and use by people not involved in the development process might be few and far between or even non-existent, not to mention that laws in one country do not necessarily apply in other countries.

If there is a patent issue or other allegations, we'll see law suits in civil courts.

If you're addressing the moral issue, as are most posting in response to the OP here, I agree with you, I just don't use the legal term "crime" for such issues.

 

[Jlopcpa]

Why is it completely wrong to cheat Vz (large company making obscene prfits)

Why do people justify that it is ok to cheat a large company making obscene amounts of profit. Just because they are profitable doesn't make it any more right. Are you saying because they make too much money that we should take back some of that profit by stealing from them?

 

[cableguynoe]

That's not what he was saying. Read it again.

 

[BlueDC2]

Why do people justify that it is ok to cheat a large company making obscene amounts of profit. Just because they are profitable doesn't make it any more right. Are you saying because they make too much money that we should take back some of that profit by stealing from them?

Well, they only make the comparison to stealing from large companies in reference to the same type of action towards a smaller company. The logic is that:

-Some large company loses a few hundred dollars because I purposely smashed my phone to get a newer one, it doesn't matter because they will make a few billion dollars this year.

'or'

-Some smaller company loses some money becuase I downloaded a bootlegged version of their software instead of paying for it. Their profit for the year could be as small as 100k + if that. It is wrong to steal from this small company, because they are not some giant conglomerate who sucks up billions of dollars from all over the world.

 

[cableguynoe]

What I don't understand is thread after thread explaining how to install bootlegged swype and Android 2.1, and no one says anything about stealing software. .

If the update (or software) is free, then by installing it you are not stealing any profits from anyone. You're just adding something to your device that is maybe not intended for it.
I dont personally see that as stealing as I would downloading something that the company charges for.

 

[Jlopcpa]

Thats not what he was saying. Read it again.

Your right I did...sorry

 

[cableguynoe]

Some smaller company loses some money becuase I downloaded a bootlegged version of their software instead of paying for it. Their profit for the year could be as small as 100k + if that. It is wrong to steal from this small company, because they are not some giant conglomerate who sucks up billions of dollars from all over the world.

Maybe if it wasn't for people that steal their software, they would make more than 100k a year and one day also be a "large company"

 

[Jlopcpa]

Well, they only make the comparison to stealing from large companies in reference to the same type of action towards a smaller company. The logic is that:

-Some large company loses a few hundred dollars because I purposely smashed my phone to get a newer one, it doesn't matter because they will make a few billion dollars this year.

'or'

-Some smaller company loses some money becuase I downloaded a bootlegged version of their software instead of paying for it. Their profit for the year could be as small as 100k + if that. It is wrong to steal from this small company, because they are not some giant conglomerate who sucks up billions of dollars from all over the world.

I agree, theft does have a larger overall impact to the small company, where a larger company can absorb it much better, and in fact it is built into their pricing. My point was (and I incorrectly read the post) that the size of the company should not matter. But for some reason we feel that with a larger company we can get away with it more, so we do, it is human nature, almost expected of us because they can absorb the cost.

Break it down to the lowest level of ownership, the bottom line effects the stock price or dividend of the owners of these companies which could be me and you either directly or though a mutual fund or a profit sharing account.

 

[Trident]

I was thinking fraud, theft and despicable behavior. Maybe with the thread title you have something about Jesus in mind though. I will hope for the best.

Nicely put! Mods - can we put this thread to rest?