Abandonware Dos Games

[cibomatto2002]

Is Abandware really legal ?

[polmonitor]

Hi.
I think it is legal only if the authors released the source code.
Try searching for freeware

[Zach]

Abandonware is not legal, unless the copyright holder has relinquished their rights to it.

Also I'm not 100% sure but I think you can release the source code to something and still have a copyright on the actual product. You just can't control what other people do with your source or any products they make based off said product.


So be smart and don't post any links to Abandonware sites.. Their legal myths are almost as bad as the age old "You must delete this after 24 hours or it's illegal" rule many Warez sites used to plaster all over their pages.

[Zach]

Here is a good FAQ

http://www.abandonwarering.com/?Page=FAQ

[FatTrucker]

Is Abandware really legal ?

No, Abandonware has no legal basis its just a term people use for old software that's not sold or franchised anymore. In all cases someone somewhere still owns the copyright even where the original company might have ceased trading. So unless a copyright owner gives specific permission for a game to be released for free its no different legally from downloading the latest XBox 360 game.

There are some sites that actively seek permission from copyright holders to release their old games. WOS (World of Spectrum) have thousands of old spectrum games for download for which they've received limited permission from the copyright owners to make them available for free download. The copyrights are still in place though so you cannot redistribute them.

[cibomatto2002]

I did not think it was really legal to download old Dos games.

[Jale]

No matter how old a game is, copyright voids in like 70 years after the creator's death, or so I've read.

[Zach]

I'm not sure about US copyright, but that sounds about right. It could be the case that's how it works in your country though
Can you still play games down there?

I heard my buddy Hugo was talking about banning them or something as a "bad influence"

http://www.boingboing.net/2009/11/05...havez-adm.html

Oh for shame, someone better call the secret police on that guy

[Jale]

The same case in Australia, but taken to an extreme, something I don't approve because I don't think anything will change with this law. It's a matter of education. The same law applies to war toys (guns, etc).

As for me, I can play games. Any of them.