Thread: eh.. Mac? PC?
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Old 02-08-2005, 01:05 PM   #81 (permalink)
AngelicVampire
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No, Kazaa is legally safe as it cannot control the content on its network, Napster was illegal as it indexed the stuff and kept a central file store. Kazaa users are being hit not Kazaa...

Emulators do not circumvent ownership, they allow you to run SOFTWARE YOU OWN on a different hardware configuration. It is legal to use them as you have a right to use software you own, you do not legally need to own the device or it may have broken down at some point.

Most of this kind of stuff flows from the Xerox rulings (basically saying that Xerox were not responsible for what their clients do with the photocopiers as they could not control it and do have legal uses) and the Sony BetaMax stuff (saying that it is legal to record freely available content and store it for replay at a later time without breaching copyright(time shifting)). Companies and suchlike are normally only guilty when they provide a service which can only be used to break the law, Kazaa has good points - and cannot control what is on the network, Napster could not control what was on the network however could have not listed copyrighted materials... subtle differences that make the Napster network responsible and Sharmin merely an annoyance (dunno exactly how this all applies under US law but under British law Kazaa is not responsible).

Also remember that different countries laws apply, even if emulation was illegal in the US it may be legal where the poster is.
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