CS 492/CS 692 W14 Role-Playing Exercise 2

Piracy of Software

Team A

A group of computer science students who feel that computer software is often prohibitively expensive and that there are no ethical difficulties in making copies of software from friends. They believe that the software companies have enough money and will not suffer unduly from copies which are not paid for. They also believe that it is impossible to legislate against unauthorized copying of software.

Team B

A group of concerned computer scientists who feel, first of all, that it is unethical to engage in software piracy. While they acknowledge that piracy is rampant, they feel it would be better to introduce more effective legislation aimed at stemming its tide. They believe that doing so would enable software companies to reduce the price of their software, leading to a better environment for consumers. They argue as well that if there are no penalties for piracy, then it becomes difficult to argue for legislation against various violations of information security within organizations.