>Hi Thierry,
>
>Useful thread - on an unpleasant subject - that confirm what we all are aware. IP protection is certainly not a clearcut matter. Depending on your country, the law does change. And "jurisprudence" as well. Even at EC level, I suspect that we have already some significant differences. Of course there should none.Except possibly for the UK, Brexit oblige :-)
>
>By the way, do not get us started on IP protection in China :-) :-)
>
>Cheers, Daniel

Daniel, I think there are two layers to the law. The actual law, and the respect one has for the law. I'll explain my beliefs here:

A man can simply say, "I desire to keep this private," and then it's up to each of the people individually to honor or respect that man's desire based on whether or not they assert their own desires ahead of his. It is not a correct thing to assert yourself ahead of others without just cause, and desiring to make more money, or take an easier path toward some goal, is not a just cause. It has to be only from the point of view of knowing the other individual is mistaken, and then you first try to work with that individual to get them to see the reality, and if that fails then you can move forward knowing that what you're doing is being done rightly for right reasons.

Microsoft has made it clear in their EULA that their work is theirs, and we are users / renters not owners. They intend to keep everything private amongst themselves, and such decisions / requests from Microsoft are to be respected. Period.

In recognizing what the terms of Microsoft's EULA mean, it mandates that a person enter into reflection about what their long-term goals are for life. Are they content to use the product as indicated? If so great! Use it. Go forth and do work under those terms. If not, then step back and analyze what choices you have. You can not use the tool, or you can work to create your own tool that is not so encumbered. Both carry some burden, but you have to still have as your root source the recognition that people's positions on things matter ... in all areas of opinion / belief. It's only when facts arise that things are to be taken to another level, and those facts had better be founded in surety and not assumption or guesswork.

It is wrong to violate Microsoft's EULA. Period. We are to honor the requests of the people we do business with, including Microsoft. This means no illegal copies of software, no illegal installations of operating systems, not using Visual Studio Community Edition for professional work, etc.

And if you don't like following under those rules, THEN SEEK TO CHANGE THEM by creating your own tools to replace Microsoft's crimping philosophy upon your life and ability to move / live / breathe.

This really is our life. We really do have decisions to make about what we'll do. And we really are not to do illegal things. And yes, it really is that simple.