Software piracy is one of those fuzzy issues. I do think it's wrong, but a lot less wrong then say, stealing someones food, car or life.

Just to play devil's advocate, let me ask a hypothetical.

Let's say you have a 16 yr old kid making average money. He has an emachine (or some other budget computer) and really likes CG (wants to work for Lucas someday, whatever).

He get's a copy of AutoSuperRenderer Deluxe from a warez site.

Let's say that AutoSuperRenderer Deluxe costs upwards of $8,000 dollars and there is no way the kid can't afford it.

By using the "cracked" copy of the software, he is indeed stealing from the author, but on the other hand, the actual physical copy of the data cost the developer nothing.

If he cannot realisticly afford the software, then he is not a potential customer you could argue. If you agree with this then you could argue that his illegal use of the software in no way is harming the developer. This is a rather contrived example and not neccassarily the view I subscribe to.
As far as doing wrong things, it's all about justification and with gray areas like above, a lot of people find piracy an easy one.

I for one appreciate getting paid for my work and usually get pretty PO' when someone steals it.

-Lee

"To be civilized is to deny one's nature."

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