Would you consider sleeping in a hotel room that you didn't pay for as stealing? What if the room was vacant, so you just slipped in there? How about sneaking into the movies without paying by using the back door?

None of those situations are exactly 'stealing', since possession was never taken from the owner. Of course, you are benefiting and enjoying from something (call it 'content' if you want, especially in the form of the movie or music) that normally requires compensation. Stealing might not be the right word, but the owner is being denied a source on income - on top of any moral or ethical issues (which people like the guy Rob referred to obviously don't have). It can be couched or justified any way people want, but that doesn't make it right.

- Tim