Off topic: How are games failing you?

[JimMorrison]

Originally Posted by Strider

Linking to pirate sites, or even advocating using pirated software, is a swift way to get yourselves banned.

Why is Abandonware considered Pirating, again? That's exactly the sort of attitude that we only really see out of LucaArts. Any sane person says "we published that OVER 10 years ago, and no longer print or sell it, have fun".

So to clarify, I do not advocate PIRATING, but I certainly do advocate people taking the time to enjoy classic games that have long since been ABANDONED by their publishers.

I think the general consensus is that once you no longer have the will or means to profit from your creation, it belongs to the world to which you unleashed it.

But don't get me wrong, I <3 fascists, too.

[Calchet]

Now, now, thanks to the reasonable copyright laws we have in most countries, abandonware is all well and good and not piracy at all...

As long as the creator has been dead for seventy-five years or somesuch.

In other news, I can't WAIT for the year 2070 to swing around! Think of all the games I could start playing for free!

[Endoperez]

Originally Posted by JimMorrison

Why is Abandonware considered Pirating, again? That's exactly the sort of attitude that we only really see out of LucaArts. Any sane person says "we published that OVER 10 years ago, and no longer print or sell it, have fun".

I think the general consensus is that once you no longer have the will or means to profit from your creation, it belongs to the world to which you unleashed it.

Abandonware is not legal. No publishing company can allow people to discuss how to illegally acquire games on their discussion forums. It sends the wrong message for 1) people who consider buying their games, 2) people who consider using them to publish games and 3) other publishers.

Also, old computer games are easier to share and harder to get to work than most traditional media, but the same rules and laws are in place. As an example, it's illegal to scan and share 1980s comic books, even if the company that published them isn't selling them any more and the artists/writers have moved on to do other stuff. Rights aren't lost that easily, and they shouldn't be. There are sites, like Good Old Games, that sell old, classic games for cheap, without DRM, and in formats that work on newer operating systems.
http://www.gog.com

All games aren't available, but many good games are. I found out about the site when I saw a guy playing Oddworld: Abe's Odyssee (9.99$).

[Agema]

Originally Posted by Endoperez

Abandonware is not legal.

Abandonware can be legal: some authors/publishers release the copyright and make stuff freeware in the belief no-one would pay for old stuff but may as well still be able to play it. It could be argued that software which the copyright owner does not enforce is effectively legal, although "effectively" certainly does not mean "is". Nevertheless, I'd agree it's inappropriate to link to such sites unless it clearly states the software it holds is there legally.

[Endoperez]

Originally Posted by Agema

It could be argued that software which the copyright owner does not enforce is effectively legal, although "effectively" certainly does not mean "is".

It could be argued that a copyright crime isn't effectively crime unless you get caught.

Any way, this isn't the forum for this discussion.