Re: The question is purely theoretical
It is an issue of what is "ethical" at the table. Is maintaing a device that electronically records the action ethical? Does disclosure of the device make it ethical? If the device is just a simple paper and pencil, does that change its status?
I have no intention of doing any of these things. A friend asked me about what I thought of the idea (in theory) and I found it to be a thought provoking question (espically in light of programs like poker tracker).
It is unethical, and it is completely different than PokerTracker.
Online, people have control over the exact amount of information that they give you. Pokertracker records their PLAY. Video cameras record their PERSON.
Recording an unknowing person via any media where they would be recognizable is completely unethical and unacceptable. Videotaping me , Amanda, is completely different from recording the play of me, JayhawkFan88 at playgootpoker.com. If you get permission, obviously, you are fine. If you are only taking notes with pen and paper, you don't, imo, even need permission--unless you take that person's picture and put it next to your notes. (Although if we were dealing with the real world, one might wish to get permission, to avoid running afoul of the concealed weapons mentioned earlier.)
Especially since we are talking about an environment where every user understands (or should) that there will be electronic records kept of every hand dealt to every player at all times, I don't think PokerTracker is problematic from an ethical standpoint.
Some of the other software programs are qualitatively different from PT and are, imo, a little more ethically questionable, but I don't wish to start a debate on those here.
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