Hi David,

I'm going to come down on Erik's side on this one. He made a "reasonable" conclusion, which is to say a conclusion capable of being reasoned. Speaking as one who uses Keil's freebie demo version, I can tell you that if that's what Zhu Wei was trying to use he would not be ignoring links to the Keil website and looking for "mysterious" links and "step by step instructions."

But there's more than this as to why I'm going to come down on Erik's side here. You described his actions as, "playing detective/e-vigilante." Clearly by invoking the verb "playing" you were attempting to characterize his actions as childish, and by invoking the term "vigilante" you are attempting to characterize his actions as irresponsible. So, given your stated positition on the matter, what unjust harm do his actions threaten if Zhu Wei is not attempting to steal Keil's intellectual property?

Far from Erik being the irresponsible one here, I submit that anyone who would turn their head and look the other way is the irresponsible one. Moreso, I submit that anyone who would attempt to steifel Erik's action, by heaping scorn upon him for it, is even more irresponsible. I asked what unjust harm Erik's actions might inflict. By ignoring the obvious you risk abetting an act of theft, and by attempting to steifel those who do not you risk abetting future acts as well.

Bravo Erik. You are not the one who should be shamed in this incident. Unfortunately, given Red China's track record on such matters I doubt that Zhu Wei has anything to fear even if he is stealing Keil's product. Nonetheless, unless he makes a convincing account for himself, which is to say convinces me that he is not in fact stealing Keil's products, I will remember his name when I see it here in the future asking for help. I truly hope he is not trying to steal, that he really is just trying to install the demo version. But if he is not, I for one will not abet a theif.