Digital BW, The Print

Austin Franklin writes:

> It has to be a pretty egregious (so many instances, profit from it
> etc.) to be considered a crime, and if it isn't, it becomes a civil
> matter, which you have to prove damages for...which in
> %99.999999999999 of the cases are pretty much nil.

In some jurisdictions, even trivial infringements can be prosecuted as
criminal acts.  In practice, most trivial infringements are not pursued
at all, either as civil or criminal matters, but the fact that the law
allows one (or both) is something to consider.

I follow the Golden Rule for my own respect of copyrights: if I would
consider an act to be a significant infringement myself, I take care not
to so behave with respect to others. My attitude is middle-of-the-road;
I have neither the anal-retentive zeal of an MPAA or RIAA as manifested
in their relentless and dogged pursuit of every conceivable infringement
(or opportunity for infringement), nor the careless disregard for the
intellectual property rights of others often manifested by angry young
males in cyberspace as they steal content wholesale for their own use.