confidential info on old harddrives.

Philip.Belben(a)pgen.com wrote: the gold is located on an uninhabited/unclaimed island, on a beach at the edge of the water. =) that's pretty much the same here too, I think, just have the proof in case of a dispute. Arguably, yes I agree. Unless that person is in the 'public's eye', like the president? Please correct me if i'm wrong. > > I wasn't talking about morals. I'd probably find the previous owner and give > it to > > them, if they wanted it. otherwise I'd trash it. I have no use for old > letters and > > bank statements.... > So you weren't talking about morals. Maybe you should have been thinking about > them, though. If someone makes a mistake and you discover it, what should you > (morally) do? Exploit it for financial gain? Or help them put it right? > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ If you read past my first sentence you would have seen my answer. > There have indeed. Generally after copyright has expired, which in most > countries now happens 50 or 70 years after the death of the writer. In the case > of war diaries and the like, these are usually published with the permission, if > not the active co-operation, of the author. This is a useful guide for when > personal data ceases to be sensitive - 50 to 70 years after the death of the > person concerned. How long is the copyright for software? > For me, the bottom line is more like: If you find sensitive data on a hard > disk, there _may_ be legal loopholes that allow you to use it. But they are > fewer than you might think. And (a) should you morally do so? And (b) do you > want to bring classic computer collectors into disrepute by doing so? > Philip. A) answered above and in previous posts. B)No, refer to answer A. Regardless, I still _believe_ that it is the seller who is responsible for the data, if not morally or legally, than just for personal safety and/or fear of embarrassment, or just paranoia. This of course is my opinion. I've never sold a computer without first wiping everything off of it, and i don't have any info i would consider sensitive or very private stored on there. On the hypothetical about the drug dealer and his buyers, sellers and account info: As a (insert your country) citizen, isn't it your duty to inform the authorities of such crimes? Obstruction of justice comes to mind, for one (U.S.A). And that situation about the 'shrink' failing to wipe his drive of very private and sensitive info before selling it was just plain irresponsible. Would he throw out letters or whole files without first shredding them? It is _*HIS*_ responsibility for those papers, as is it his ethical duty to guard those papers and files he stores in his office. Heck, the police needs a search order to gain access to those files, why should one have access to those files, paper and other types, simply because he/she failed to delete or shred them before a sell? <( or he/she moves to another office and leaves her filing cabinet at old office?) If my information were in that drive and i found out about it, I would demand he lost his license for incompetence. I would think that computer files are considered the same as paper files under the law, again US law. Correct me if I'm wrong. Anyways, if we really wanted to find the legal thing to do, one of us should contact a lawyer friend that specializes in this. What category does this fall under anyway (the personal information bit, not the software licenses)?