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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Using the company laptop	Jeanne	Friday, October 15, 2010
Question: I understand your answers to the questions regarding downloading music/videos, and the sinfulness of it if permission was not granted. Is this case also considered sinful and requires to be confessed? My husband uses his work laptop for freelance work he occasionally receives to bring in extra household money. He uses this laptop because it contains the proper software required for the work to be done. The freelance work is not from a competitor/rival. I greatly appreciate your answer and help. God Bless!
Question Answered by Dear Jeanne: Well, downloading music or software or anything else free that is suppose to be paid for is theft. It needs to be confessed. And, one needs to not return to those websites that specialize in trafficking in stolen copyrighted material. Any material in the public domain, or where the copyright owner gives permission to download, is okay. Some musical artists, for example, allow people to download some of their music for free. As for the laptop, the moral licitness of your husband using it for freelance work depends upon the employer's rules for using his laptop. A laptop owned by the employer means that the software on the laptop is also owned by the employer. Thus, the laptop and its software are "on loan" from the employer. Your husband needs to follow whatever rules the employer has for the use of the company laptop. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Using the company laptop

Jeanne

Friday, October 15, 2010

Question:

I understand your answers to the questions regarding downloading music/videos, and the sinfulness of it if permission was not granted.

Is this case also considered sinful and requires to be confessed?

My husband uses his work laptop for freelance work he occasionally receives to bring in extra household money. He uses this laptop because it contains the proper software required for the work to be done. The freelance work is not from a competitor/rival.

I greatly appreciate your answer and help.
God Bless!

Question Answered by

Dear Jeanne:

Well, downloading music or software or anything else free that is suppose to be paid for is theft. It needs to be confessed. And, one needs to not return to those websites that specialize in trafficking in stolen copyrighted material.

Any material in the public domain, or where the copyright owner gives permission to download, is okay. Some musical artists, for example, allow people to download some of their music for free.

As for the laptop, the moral licitness of your husband using it for freelance work depends upon the employer's rules for using his laptop.

A laptop owned by the employer means that the software on the laptop is also owned by the employer. Thus, the laptop and its software are "on loan" from the employer. Your husband needs to follow whatever rules the employer has for the use of the company laptop.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum