Grannies and Pirated Software

dthomas731 writes, "After reading Ed Foster's blog about how the Embroidery Software Protection Coalition (ESPC) is suing grandmothers over using pirated digitized designs, I thought you might want to call your own grandmothers and tell them they are going to be needing a lawyer. And the ESPC is very serious. On the ESPC faq page they scare these grandmothers by telling them even if they didn't know the software was pirated, that 'Unfortunately, when it comes to copyright violations, ignorance is no defense.'"

Comments

yep

[User 956]

On the ESPC faq page they scare these grandmothers by telling them even if they didn't know the software was pirated, that 'Unfortunately, when it comes to copyright violations, ignorance is no defense.

In this day and age, it's also not a barrier to using a computer.

Re:not quite correct.

[Doc Ruby]

You didn't copy the book, so you didn't violate the copyright. The company you bought it from is guilty/liable, not you. Similarly, these grannies didn't copy the CDs they bought, so I don't see how they violated anyone's copyright.

This is a different situation than the familiar RIAA vs filesharers. The RIAA is suing the publishers of the files. And even downloaders can be argued to be "making a copy", of the data from their network connection eventually to their HD.

Re:Fake? Yup it's a SCAM!

[zifferent]

Most definitely is fake. In fact it's a scam.

http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?threadID=20 00117763&tstart=0&mod=1156813029715

You see they get these sewing people all scared, work them up into a lather and then direct them to the "Amnesty Program" here:

http://www.embroideryprotection.org/Amnesty_Progra m.pdf

Where they procede to take $300 a piece from unwitting cross-stichers.

Re:hmmmm, a way to make money?

[schon]

Paying of the artists

What makes you think that any of the RIAA money goes to the artists?

It goes to pay the record labels, who don't give one red cent to the artists (after all, it's not in their contracts.)

Re:I just checked

[Walt Dismal]

I asked my Pirate Granny if she ever bought any patterns on eBay, and she said, "Well, bugger me timbers, matey, I had no idear it were illegal. Harrrrr." and then she swigged some rum that the parrot had crapped in when she wasn't looking, but she didn't notice; Granny really likes her rum. Then she asked "Who be these ESPC folk, and does they cornhole each other like me crew does ta our cabinboy, although he kind of likes it, but let's not go there." I allowed as they probably did, and they were definitely a scurvy lot.

Then she went back to embroidering a skull and crossbones flag for her ship, which is a trimaster named "The RIAA Sucks Ass Too" that sails the Caribbean looking for patterns and CDs to steal, and Disney videos to copy.

Granny may be an old boozy bag, but she's all right. But the ESPC sure isn't. Leave old women alone, you bastards.