[danilocampos]

I had no one to teach me the values of intellectual property. :)

But I think we can agree that while I harmed Adobe not at all through my transgression (they have been more than paid back in licenses bought since), that store lost real money.

[rz2k]

Though it would be a real challenge to quantify, I bet that Adobe ultimately made more money in the end out of the arrangement than if you had simply foregone learning the software, using those skills with legitimately purchased tools later, and indirectly through contributions to the wider industry.

However, that just means that in this case where the alternative was no use Adobe wasn't hurt by pirating. However, in another situation when the alternative to pirating is the sale of software, the loss isn't any less real than the loss to the candy store of not selling candy because it was stolen.

--

On another topic, do you believe that there would be significantly more opportunity in Puerto Rico with statehood?

[danilocampos]

In Adobe's case, they lost no bytes by my gaining them. The candy store lost inventory that they had to replace.

I'm honestly not qualified to give an answer re: statehood. I'm so removed from the politics of Puerto Rico, I don't even know what levers matter there. My hunch is that the issues run deeper, though.