Ramble from Joan

Yippee, ramble night! Take it away, Joan!

Stealing

Stealing is good. There, I said it. And before you start throwing sharped-edged things my way, let me add: sometimes.

It is, of course, not good to deprive anybody of anything. This iscertainly the case, when someone takes possession of physical
things, like a car, or a TV set. The former owner will have to do without. And without his/her consent. Not good, period.

Things get a little more interesting when you can steal something without depriving the owner. Software, for instance. You don't take anything away, you just copy it. Microsoft Word (shudder!), Photoshop... If you run them without the consent of their owners, you are stealing. But just what are you stealing? The hopes of revenue, certainly. The keyword, however, is "hope". By no means are the companies entitetled to that revenue, just like you have no right to benefit from the work that went into creating the thing first of all. No rights all around (and you might guess that I don't take a lawyer's view here), so -- stalemate.

Much of the same goes for fiction. If you copy one of my stories
(you're welcome, by the way), you don't deprive me of the story.
It's still mine. I might (but don't) hope to make a living with
what I write -- that hope has absolutely no bearing on you.

All of that, however, is petty theft. When you come to think of
stealing ideas, we're right there where stealing is good. I was
recently asked to write a review for "Ruth Gogoll's Christmas Carol". Gasp! Ms. Gogoll "stole" Charles Dickens' story! I, for one, am happy she did.

In science, the "stealing" of ideas is thought of as "standing on the shoulders of giants". At a rather high level, stealing is good.

Yes, Ze will probably pull my head off for this. So mote it be!
Joan

LOL...there you have it. Always good to hear from you, Joan...even in controversy. Thank you for sharing.

Enjoy those updates.

Peace, Health, and Happiness.

Elisa

BtVS

• Chapter 13 of Operation Slayers & Non-Essentials 2: Second Coming by SMoftheApocalypse (BuffynFaith.Net).
  
  
• Chapter 76 of Becoming by kmi85 (BuffynFaith.Net).
  
  Criminal Minds
  
• Chapters 109-111 of Lead the Way (Conclusion) by Lady Rashida (Criminal Minds Femslash).
  
  Grey's Anatomy
  
• Christmas Closets by foreverleyton (Callie_Arizona).
  
  
• Christmas Lists by pens_c0927 (Callie_Arizona).
  
  
• I'll Help by Cruez2788 (Callie_Arizona).
  
  Nikki & Nora
  
• Chapter 6 of Heavy Lies the Crown by 1shinyboat aka Whedonist (Lady Cops).
  
  Once Upon A Time
  
• I F*cking Hate You and I Hate F*cking You (So Why Can't I Stop?) by Geonn Cannon (his lj).
  
  Original
  
• Part 12a of Intuition by sinjenkai (GirlSlash).
  
  Resident Evil
  
• Chapter 3 - 10 of Resident Evil: Phoenix by Red Hope (her web site).
  
  Rizzoli & Isles
  
• Chapter 1 of Long Way Around by aturtleback (Rizzoli & Isles LJ).
  
  
• Chapter 2 of Of Arias and High Sticking by crackinois (Rizzoli & Isles LJ).
  
  
• Prove It by cruez2778 (Rizzoli & Isles LJ).
  
  Sanctuary/Stargate SG-1
  
• A Little Help from My Friends by Geonn Cannon (his lj).
  
  The Sarah Connor Chronicles
  
• Part 7 - 16 of Lost in the Past by Red Hope (her web site).
  
  Xena Warrior Princess
  
• Parts 6 - 10 of The Warrior Gargoyle by Red Hope (her web site)