LeeWare,

You're twisting the issue because you're combining the emotional appeal of the word 'theft' and 'steal' with the fact of illegal activities. For whatever reason, people prefer to understand the reason that something is illegal. Theft makes a close fit for these cases, but it is unfortunately not true. People are not stealing by copying. Yes, it is semantics -- but it is an important point. If people are to understand that what they are doing is illegal, they must understand why it is [illegal]. And the reason is *not* theft.

I challenge you to find a word that accurately describes, without the emotional baggage, the illegal activities of copying a copyrighted piece.

Yes, copying music and whatnot is illegal -- I have never disputed that. But no, it is not theft.