Kevin Gowen wrote:

> Kevin Wayne Williams wrote:
>> You think most kids go out and buy their own computers and set up 
>> separate modem access to the home? Most of these juvenile file-sharers 
>> are doing so with computers and modems supplied by the parents. 
> 
> 
> Drawing on your legal education, tell me why this matters.
It satisfies one of the tests for aiding and abetting, in that it is 
assistance in the commission of the crime. To satisfy the other test 
(acting with knowledge of the criminal intent of the perpetrator and 
with an intent or purpose of either committing, or of encouraging or 
facilitating commission of the offense) requires demonstrating the 
intent and knowledge the parent. Demonstrating that can range from 
impossible (the truly computer illiterate parent with no clue as to what 
little Johnny was up to) to trivial (Kid:"Boy, Mom, this dial-up crap is 
so slow, it takes me hours to download DVDs." Mom:"Well, then, it's time 
get you DSL, so you can complete the family DVD library!").

Other cases would be grayer: buying the kid an upgrade to the computer 
or a new computer after the parent had become aware of the criminal use 
could be seen as being done with an intent to facilitate, especially if 
the parent had used one of the downloads. A similar argument could be 
made for every month's payment on the DSL line.

> 
>> The lack of morals and disregard for property ownership probably comes 
>> from the same source.
> 
> 
> I thought you atheists became all hands aflutter when people started 
> talking about lack of morals. 
It's always irritating to listen to people argue that superstition is 
the only basis for morality. This isn't a case of selling spark plugs on 
Sunday: real entities suffer real financial harm.

> It's also very hard for me to listen to 
> lectures on property ownership from a communist.
Still a strong advocate of property rights for corpses? That's how you 
get Kennedys, you know.

KWW