[Thud]

Don't assume that the administrators know the difference between legal and illegal music files. As an example, clips and some full tracks of the Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers film score were posted on the internet with permission of the copyright holders as a promotional tool. They want people to download and listen to them to increase the chances of more people buying the whole CD. I've had that CD on pre-order for months, and jumped at the chance to hear some it in advance.

I have racks of music CD's in my office, of which many have been ripped to my office PC so I can create playlists from them. The symphonies stay on the CD's. Shorter pieces are ripped.

All of these practices are not merely legal, but encouraged by the copyright holders. I do not expect, however, that Naval Academy administrators are capable of such fine distinctions, and do expect that they will blast the incipient careers of many innocent cadets.

This is not an area for criminal sanctions. The Navy risks alienating prospective techies and pointing them towards the Air Force instead.

I have personal knowledge that this is already happening. My daughter's boyfriend Willie is entering the Air Force after Christmas and told me that the Navy has a reputation for cluelessness among geeks. The administration of my town's high school was terrified when Willie graduated last year, for fear of losing his services, and offered him $2500 a month for a year as a consultant to keep on doing for them what he did as a student, and train a better-paid replacement, before joining the service. Willie wouldn't let the Navy recruiter in the door.

Willie has every episode of Pinky and the Brain in German on DVD. He says it's funnier in German. I like him.

[Magnum44]

I do not expect, however, that Naval Academy administrators are capable of such fine distinctions...

I think you underestimate the integrity of those in uniform who are responsible for raising our future leadership, both in the service academy administrations, and fellow students who do honor the code.

The Navy risks alienating prospective techies and pointing them towards the Air Force instead.

None of the service academies want there reputations tarnished by dishonosty and poor character. And prospective techies with no integrity are of little use in the professional military. As a leader, or in my leaders, I want people I can trust who will do the right thing and look out for their troops, not who is most 'high tech'.

My daughter's boyfriend Willie is entering the Air Force after Christmas and told me that the Navy has a reputation for cluelessness among geeks.

An immature attitude that I hope he outgrows if he is to be a successful military officer.