Computer Software

[Guest Elizabeth]

I ask because I think I may have helped someone install pirated (unpaid for) software.

A friend from church asked me if I would help him install some software. I was suspicious of the CD he gave me; it was a disk produced by a software company (not a copied disk) and had a valid license number. However, the CD had text on it that said something like "This is illeagal software unless you have a license agreement". (I can't remember the exact wording.)

I asked my friend how he got the disk; was it for a class. He told me that his teacher gave him the CD for free. I installed the software for him.

Now I'm wondering if I should have done this. I don't want to sound unkind, but this person isn't "all there". I thought I should have tried to press the issue of how he got the software, but in the end I think he would have insisted it was OK to install the software. At some point I thought it would be easier to just do what he wants that to try to convince him that we should always pay for software. So, I just trusted that everything was on the up and up.

Have I committed a Mortal Sin by installing this software? Should I have known better and not trusted him? I'm a Computer Science major and worked for a software development firm so I should know better.

Thank you for your answer.

[cappie]

Short answer is no it is not a mortal sin. If the user obtained the CD illegally and infringed copyright then it is stealing because the person or company who had produced the CD took out copyright and so it is protected. That person whose ideas are on the CD has a right to have some form of protection, thus we have copyright.
If you believed that what you were doing was incorrect then you would have committed a sin because you knowingly did something you believed to be wrong.
However the doubtful conscience suspends its judgement. the doubt may either concern a fact or the lawfulness of an act. In this case as it had a valid license number and the person said it was given to him by a teacher, the sin is attached to him if he has lied to you.
Maybe someone else has another opinion but I think you are OK