I remember standing in Wal-mart one day and hearing some people complain to the person in the photo department about not being able to make a scan and print of a photo that they had. The photo was clearly stamped, on the back, with some photographer’s name or studio. In a way, I can understand this person’s frustration because they might not understand that when they bought this photo that they only bought ‘this’ photo and it is not theirs to do with it whatever they please, as in making copies for friends, family, etc.

However, there are numerous commercials shown on television and before movies about piracy. Yet, when I speak to most people, they see nothing wrong with it or give justification as to why it is OK for them to download music, videos, complete movies, etc. Recently, someone, knowing that I am into photography, offered me a complete software suite worth about $2,500 for FREE. Yes. Free! Well, it was a cracked version of some software that I could find useful, but I turned it down. He couldn’t understand why. I told him because it is stealing just the same as it would be if I walked into a store and picked up something of the shelf and took it. He told me that I was old-fashioned and that ‘everybody does it’. I certainly hope not. After all, if people make it and hackers crack it and give it away for free, it gets pretty difficult to make a living!

I just received my cross-platform upgrade to Photoshop CS4 for Mac. It feels good installing legitimate software! I was offered this, as a cracked version, as well, but chose to decline.

I don’t let Tony use peer-to-peer software on our computers at home. He told that his friends do it. I told him that I’d rather give him a few bucks to buy legit music so that the entertainers can keep making music!

Anyway, not to judge anyone. I just wondered what has happened to integrity and when did it become acceptable to steal whenever you felt like it?