The university policy against computer software piracy has been widely publicized, including in a recent issue of Computing News (December, 1989). There is no question that the university must protect itself against actions of the NIU community for which it could be held legally accountable. However, based on our current research of the "computer underground" and the activeities of "phreaks, hackers,  and pirates," we find no evidence to support the many value judgments offered in the rationale circulated by the university.