it's still stealing if the anti-theft mechanisms in the store don't go off, right?
Terms of Service likely stipulate this sort of thing. Just because they aren't enforced with technology doesn't make it legal.
Is it "stealing" if I'm walking by the store and an employee comes out to the sidewalk and offers me free samples, even though they did the same thing yesterday?
Some of you guys have a promising career waiting for you at the RIAA.
No, but if I did, it still isn't "stealing," any more than jaywalking is "rape of traffic."
IMHO it'd be more of a Tragedy of the Commons type of scenario, where a few users taking advantage of loopholes in the rules might hose the deal for everybody.
I agree and that's why I've turned down the freebies the Lyft people are always handing out -- they claim it's for new users and I want to respect that. But then again, I also assumed they'd make a token effort to reject people that already have a registered number with them.
I don't understand how breaking a private organisation's terms of service makes you a criminal. As a taxpayer I don't give a shit what any business's TOS are, and I don't think a penny of my money should be spent enforcing them. Enforce them technically or stfu; it's not my problem and none of my concern. Someone gets too many free vouchers from some retarded dot-bubble startup's shitty software and suddenly I'm forking out for the cops and judges to get involved? I don't fucking think so! Get me on a jury for one of those cases please!
Some of you guys have a promising career waiting for you at the RIAA.