Karen, I don't find it possible to respect copyright "in general" in its current form. It is immoral in my view.
And you do not respect it "in general". Most likely you use youtube and songs and videos are uploaded to there without permission.
If I find the situation "immoral", what I can do is rethinking it. Figuring out what a good, moral approach could look like. I respect what many langauge learning websites are doing. But I think Oscar's idea harldy would harm their interests.
You're speaking about the formal side. As for what is written in license agreements, sorry but people do not read license agreements. Have you ever read EULA to your operating system or to your browser? The current situation is collective hypocricy. Hypocricy is not what I respect or find "ethical".
So, your idea was rather funding the innovative account together? That's an awfully lot of money and I'd be really careful if I were you. There are other ways of learning languages.
What languages are you especially interested in?
I wouldn't buy it for myself. I don't learn langaueges this way. Even the friend in question needed it for about the same purpose as what I needed Pimsleur for (research about learnign tools but not using them).
I just mean, when "money" is involved it doesn't mean that things should get "serious". What's the sum losing which would really disappoint us? $1000 maybe: it is definitely more than monthly income of many people here. $50? If what you have left after paying you bills and for most basic needs is $50 (or -50) a month you have a reason to worry. But for others it is more like inviting a friend in a cafe or presenting a book. Maybe for Oscar it is so. Maybe there is another guy/gal like Oscar.
Another thing: if I propose this I know for sure if I'm honest. I don't know if others are but if I'm honest (and can afford this) I know that for sure. Others in turn, do not know if I am honest.
Can we say it is unethical for me to look like a possible scammer while not being one? Not sure.
