@flashman: No, it would constitute idiocy, as he obviously left it out there on purpose.

nope, as long as you did not actively try to get these orders by looking at hise notepad, and just randomly stumbled across it, it is good information

of course, the word random can be redifined as you see fit

I would avoid doing anything I definately wouldn't have done had I not seen the orders. However, if it was a case of a 50-50 choice then the orders would be impossible to ignore.

I agree. Personally I think the definitions of cheating depend on the game itself and what you agree. On this site, I would say it is cheating to do something you couldn't do to another player. For example, if you're in a game with some people you know in real life, I would say that as well as metagaming/multiaccounting etc it would be cheating to go and look at their screen whilst they input their orders, because there is no way other opponents could do this to you. Thus with the limitations of the site, cheating over phpDiplomacy becomes impossible other than meta/multi's.

To answer you main question about the definition of cheating, I think that cheating takes two forms. First is the "real" cheating, which is things you can only do by exploiting the system and running different accounts. This would be impossible in the game, and anyone doing it is obviously doing it for the wrong reasons. Second is the "soft" cheating, which involves things like looking at people's orders, and can be considered in the same frame as trickery.
On this site arguable neither should occur, because either would be taking advantage of a situation that could not occur in favour of another player. In an face-to-face game however, as long as everyone agree's, you could allow cheating right up to the point of a Flying Dutchman

In response to Centurian's point, I think aoe3's point comes into play. If you have allowed soft cheating, the odds are the other player knew exactly what he was doing, and has left a calculated list of faked moves.

I never thought of doing that :O

I normally post my spring 01 moves just to get people cunfuzzled and figure they wouldn't believe em but posting fake moves may be a turning point in my game

As someone who cheated in online video games long ago, I can say you do get a rush from being dominant in a game, but you soon realize that you'd like to lose once in a while.
Seriously. Sometimes the challenge is being able to win after losing a whole bunch... and let me tell you, that's a better rush than dominating by cheating.

As far as the orders left on the table, I'd return it to the player and tell him he may want to change his orders, as some might have seen them. He may change, he may not. You can predict he may change or not. Adding that randomness makes for a much better game...

You want to beat players on a level field. If they are being dumb either don't play with them or even the field, yourself.

My $5.43 (inflation is killer!)

Although I have to say that there are unusually few reasons for one to cheat in diplomacy. If I cheat in computer games it's usually because I feel unfairly treated by the circumstances of the game. In Diplomacy you only got yourself to blame in most cases.

if you cheat in a video game against other people our scum as your ruining it for other people, if you cheat in diplomacy its all fair

Well, I don't know how to cheat at multplayer anyway. I'm referring to situations like your level six heavy infantry getting run over by level one scout cavalry in RTW. ;)

o i see what you mean

I'm surprised to hear people say they wouldn't use the orders on the notebook. Have you guys read the rulebook for this game?

On PAGE ONE it goes on and on about how it is perfectly acceptable to lie, eavesdrop, let some write orders for you so they know what you are doing but then secretly give someone else your real orders to put in for you, etc.

So, I would not 'cheat' to win. But you are right to ask what the definition of cheating is.

Cheating in Face to Face tournaments is usually restricted to or defined around the Order Box. Things like
1, Taking someone elses orders out of the box so that they NMR
2. Taking someone's orders out and looking at them
Note orders left on the table or elsewhere are usually off limits socially but not within the confines of cheating
3. Messing with someone's orders in the box, for example a player keeps some one's old set of orders and then puts it in the box with his own so that targeted player has two sets of orders in and if he has not dated his orders a potential for conflict.
4, Messing around with votes to end the game which comes in the general category of Deception of the Tournament Director
5. Deception of the Tournament director

Whether it was cheating or not, I would typically just avoid doing anything that is morally "wrong". But if I'm desperate, maybe. Although that's rare as it's just a game.

The only time I ever cheated was when someone used a glitched custom hero in BFME2, I would disconnect and prevent them from taking a win.

Well cheating in on this site would be playing on the same map with multiple accounts.

"I'm surprised to hear people say they wouldn't use the orders on the notebook."

That shit is clearly planted, my friend.