searching through a string and pulling characters

[Paul Boddie]

On 19 Aug, 01:11, Steven D'Aprano <st... at REMOVE-THIS-
cybersource.com.au> wrote:
> On Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:34:12 -0700, Alexnb wrote:
> > Okay, well the point of this program is to steal from the OS X built-in
> > dictionary.
>
> Ah, not homework, but copyright infringement.

It depends what the inquirer is doing and what they mean by "steal".
Given the propaganda around "unauthorised" usage of content that is
pervasive these days ("you don't own that DVD: you just have our
temporary and conditional permission to watch it, pirate!"), the
inquirer may have been led to believe that just reading from a file on
their own system rather than using the nominated application is
somehow to "steal" from that file, even though it is content which has
presumably been obtained legitimately, even paid for in the case of OS
X.

Even if the end-user licence agreement were to attempt to wash away
any "fair use" (or just common sense) rights to using the content in
the way described by the inquirer - recalling that OS X is an Apple
product, so such games wouldn't be beneath that particular vendor - I
can't see how it does much good to dignify such antics with
unqualified cries of "copyright infringement". Indeed, for those not
acquainted with copyright and licensing, it probably just serves to
reinforce the dishonest message that they have to pay over and over
for content they already have and not to question what it is they're
paying for.

Paul