I just stumbled on this site. I've been searching for a copy of silverball for years. I can't believe that I can just download this game. It seems like a reliable site from what I have read, but I am leary of downloads. How are you able to supply these games for free?

Theyre abadonware, free and legal :)

For all your moral questions and dillemas check this FAQ out ;)

Yes, its abandonware, [can't spell.] so all downloads that are available for download are free and legal.

Downloads can be free because of generous members who click advertisements and donate money. This helps pay for server costs and bandwidth, I guess..

They're not legal, there's just nobody to enforce the copyright. Yeesh.

Pretty much the same thing, unless the ESA or whatever its called protects it, which they do with some games that they don't want anyone to download. :)

Can you purchase the ESA-protected games from ESA?

Thats from the FAQ. It says that distribtuon of copyright software is illegal, and the software here is not COPYRIGHTED anymore, making it legal

And who told you that the software here is no more copyrighted? Because, ya know, it is.

Pretty much the same thing, unless the ESA or whatever its called protects it, which they do with some games that they don't want anyone to download. :)

Can you purchase the ESA-protected games from ESA?

Thats from the FAQ. It says that distribtuon of copyright software is illegal, and the software here is not COPYRIGHTED anymore, making it legal [/b][/quote]
The copyright sticks for 90 years as the international laws looks now, so, it's protected allright. Difference is, we'r not doing this to harm the producers, more to glorify the old gems that was made.

ESA is not realy after abandonware in specific, but it falls under theire assignments from theire members, and have every right in the world to exercise it, and ask us to remove titles they feel they cover.

So.. bottom line: if a game can be bought, you won't find it here. If you can't we have it or will get it, to not make it dissapear all together.

IF you feel bad about downloading a game for "free", you can always contact the original developers and ask how you can pay for it.

As mentioned above, this IS in fact ILLIGAL. It's NOT a gray area..
Difference is, we don't want things for free, we want things we can't buy anymore...

OK..OK..but downloading games here isn't against the law, is it?

Yes!

Generally, only original copies of games are legal copies. Any other copy is considered illegal and to possess one is breaking the law.

This applies in most cases and to most games on this site.

EDIT: Re-worded