[ILUG-BOM] [OT] Is your PC legal?

[Nikhil Joshi]

Hi!
I've observed that somehow people advocating Linux bring morality into 
picture. They argue about illegal (pirated) Windows and how bad it is 
(morally) to use one.

Here is a checklist for all those paranoid about having their PC legal:
(Please add to this list something that I might have missed )

1. Is your PC or some part of it ( RAM,HDD,graphics card ) bought from 
   grey market ? If yes you can safely assume that it is illegal. The 
   required taxes have been evaded.

2. Do you have Mp3z on your Hard-Disk? Linux or Windows , they are 
   completely illegal ( Why are you making MP3z if you own the CD ?
   If for giving it to friends then thats illegal too !).
   Its illegal even if you have burnt them on your CD instead of keeping
   them on your HDD

3. Do you have DivX/MPEG files of latest movies ? It is illegal.

4. Does your homepage/HDD have gif's. Arguably they are illegal too.
   (Some compression patent problems I believe)

Here's my PC's status:

1. Bought from grey market. I lose the battle in first step itself ;)

2. Yep not a single mp3 on my HDD.

3. not a single MPEG/DivX

4. Dont have a homepage so no gif's created by me that are on the HDD

My point:
Windows user is on equal moral grounds (regarding legality of his/her PC)
if a Linux user satisfies any of the criteria.
There cannot be something less illegal. Either it is legal or it is not.

P.S.
(While I may be sounding Windows advocate let me tell you that I have only 
two OS'es on my PC : Linux and Dos (the command.com from the rescue disk 
of Windows 98, which is licensed, but not mine. I guess that's legal too 
as Microsoft, I guess, does not say that you must possess a legal copy of 
Windows 98 to use the command.com , Anywayz  I use command interpreter of 
FreeDos)  

Nikhil