BerkReviewTeach,
I think that was a little inappropriate of you to go through such lengths to make an example of me. It was merely a question about material that I was unsure of existed in an electronic version, that is why I asked it on a public forum. With that being said, I do now know that such material is harmful in possession and clearly understood that with the first couple of posts that answered my question.
For the record, I was not going to purchase such material after asking about it on SDN, and am not seeking your advice or anyone on here for illegal activity. I simply was curious as to how this would hurt my chances of medical school applications, because knowing this might help me in other respects (ie. someone with a previous criminal record for example).
Nevertheless, thanks for your help and everyone else!
No one wins a flame war. I am in no way trying to start one here, but this is a serious matter and I feel I need to respond.
I was not trying to make any person an example, but when a thread pops up asking if they should buy illegal pdf versions of pirated materials, don't you think an employee of the company being ripped off has the right to post a detailed "no"?
Let's consider a few possibilities.
(1) If you truly didn't know the pdf format was illegal at the time, which is totally viable and has happened before, then it is imperative for me (representing BR) to make it public information that there is no pdf format.
(2) If you suspected it was illegal and were fishing to see if others had done this in the past and got away with it, which again is viable and has happened in the past, then it's everyone's duty to point out the criminal nature of it and how it disgraces the field.
At the time you first posted, I assumed the first scenario, and hence my first response was short and to the point. But then you sent me a PM with a general question (I won't duvilge its contents unless you expressly say it's okay). The PM implied to me that you were still pondering the purchase.
My second post isn't about making anyone an example; it's about making a point. It's about saying in a public forum what needs to be said. You could have contacted the company to see if they sell pdf files. You could have posted "Does BR sell pdf versions of their materials?" However, you didn't post that. You posted "stumbled upon", "he
would also be shipping out a cd copy of the .pdf files link", and "
the transaction will take place on ebay", all strong indicators that this was a transaction in progress (see the verb tense).
I am glad you showed the sense to ask about it before finally doing it, because that's the honest thing to do. You have integrity. The best thing to do would be to report the crime to the appopriate people (company and webhost of the contact point). If it was from eBay report it there. If it was here at SDN, contact a moderator.
Again, this is not about being an example. You have the choice to be a role model if you wish, but that is not the point here.
The point is simply, "don't engage in the buying and selling of illegal materials and you'll be a more successful person in life."
Olive branch extended!
