4 Apr
1998
4 Apr
'98
5:31 a.m.
This struck a chord with me...
protection of data/software contained on the machine or
disks. If you buy a
camcorder at a consignment or pawn shop and the last owners left a tape of
their after-hours playtime in the camcorder, is it my responsibility to
erase,
safeguard or return it? I think not. I feel the same
should apply to
personal
ABSOLUTELY it is your responsibility. We lost the first 3 months tape of
our son's birth, homecoming and grandparents meeting, due to the theft of a
camcorder with the tape still inside. The camcorder was stored at work, in
a locked and alarmed office. It still got stolen. Probably it ended up in
a pawn shop somewhere. I didn't care about the recorder, but the tape was
priceless. You just never know about data, and in the above situation I
think it is your primary responsibility to make SURE you don't have
something you shouldn't.
We were heartbroken at our data loss. Just because it's in a pawn shop, or
consignment, or in the dumpster - doesn't invalidate copyright, or give you
a right to do what you will with it. If you found a personal videotape or
data and make no effort to determine if it is important to the original
owner, then I think you are abrogating your responsibilities as a good
citizen.
Cheers
A