Torrents: Right or wrong? - What this post isn't about.

Two related stories here about Torrents.

Stumbling along through this hellish place that is the Internet, 3% chocolate, 97% marzipan, I came across this story.

Yup, the torrent battle still rages. Anyone not in the know, for Ireland, it can be summed up in two links. In Sweden, The Pirate Bay was sent to court, in Ireland, Eircom took a stance.

For people like me who find hyper linking distracting: Eircom are attempting (Succeeded? Who knows in this country?) to ban P2P file sharing, things like music downloading, films, etc. This is because The Pirate Bay, a torrent site, was brought to court. Results on that aren't out till April.
But, in the meantime, France are starting to debate on a seriously tough new law against file sharing.

"When ISPs are notified about alleged file-sharing, they first send an e-mail to the customer involved. The second time, the customer gets a registered letter. The third time, the customer gets booted off the 'Net for three months to a year."

Sooooo.....what does this mean? Just more hot air? There's a new story for banning this kind of activity for every hair on my head (And I have beard hair these days too). And so far, not a great deal has come of it. The odd young lad behind bars, a few fines. But not much considering how often the topic comes up.

Before I get to a point, here's another link. That ones worth a scan through.
So, stealing online has become a competition. Some sort of sliding scale. Before, it was like stealing 20 euro that was left on a table with no one around. With this, its like stealing a 20, waving it in front of someones face and telling them, "Yeah, I nicked this. With my iPhone. Oh yeah, I also have an iphone. Jealous?"
Glorified competitive stealing. A competition for who can help people steal the best.

Main thing I don't get about this: Surely this would make stealing harder? I can search for something from my bed on my laptop, why leave the house so I can scan a bar code? The more I blog on multimedia, the more I think how people need to just sit down and ask themselves, "Is this worth doing? Or should I just walk the dog?"

But, to be honest, there's no point me voicing my views on P2P sharing here, whether its right or wrong, those arguments are 10 a penny online and I have no intention of being a bore and add to them. But I do have a point here.

As far as I'm aware, stealing is illegal in France. Ok, ok, I admit, I haven't researched this. I was about to pop down to the library, get the legal books out, consult a few law student friends of mine. But, you know how things just pile up on you.

Come on man, that handlebar tache is the one detail they won't miss on Crimewatch

So, uh..... a new law? Just enforce the old one. Is there a specific law over stealing with a red hat over no hat? What about if you get away on foot over a van?
Surely stealing a DVD from a shop, while its being delivered to a shop, from the factory, over the Internet all comes over the same law? The law that's about stealing. Anti Theft I believe?

Frankly, if you're really against illegal file sharing, quit bitching about it and get the handcuffs out. You don't need any new laws, just enforce the old ones.