This is why I only use & support Free & Open Source Software in my personal life. This man is going to prison. Prison.
"A California man who built a sizable business out of recycling electronic waste is headed to federal prison for 15 months after a federal appeals court in Miami rejected his claim that the “restore disks” he made to extend the lives of computers had no financial value, instead ruling that he had infringed Microsoft’s products to the tune of $700,000."
“I don’t think anybody in that courtroom understood what a restore disk was,” Lundgren said.
This is key. Most folks don't understand tech. The whole "You wouldn't steal a car!" ad campaign is an example.
If that car was open sourced, and I could download it and print, yes... I'd "steal" a car. But that isn't stealing.
A jury of your peers means your average lay person. They think in a corporate mindset. Arbitrary "losses" equal prison time.
"He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me."
Thomas Jefferson to Isaac McPherson, 13 Aug. 1813
http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/a1_8_8s12.html
copyright originally comes from irish brehon law, due to a dispute between 2 saints over a religious manuscript 1 had copied from the other without permission.
https://www.brehonlawacademy.ie/single-post/2015/02/22/History-of-Copyright-Law-Rooted-in-Ireland
@thunder - Love the first quote! Interesting insight on copyright! Thanks!
@tinker jefferson was a smart man. if more people had read this particular letter of his, patent and copyright would arguably not be such a tremendous clusterfuck.