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[Lokisliave]

I request that all UK residents sign this:

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/abandonware/

[Havell]

Signed :cool:

[Frodo]

I doubt the prime minister will listen, but I signed anyway.
Gotta fight the good fight. :amused:

[Japo]

Sorry I don't want to start a debate :amused: but... Distribution of abandonware may not be legal but it isn't prosecuted precisely because abandonware is abandoned. If its distribution is prosecuted then it's not abandonware, by definition. And if it's abandoned nobody's going to prosecute you for distributing it.

[Tervez]

I'm not a british citizen, so I didn't sign.
Not that I would've, because, as Japofran said, distribution of abandonware isn't, (for all practical reasons) a crime, because no-one is harmed by it. It's like a dead person would sue you for insulting him.

[Lokisliave]

Here in the UK we have plenty of prosecuted "Victimless crimes"

This, is but one. The government has recently threatened to force our ISPs to disconnect us for the internet for distributing copywrited material. This is when I'd had enough, and made the petition.

I don't expect those from places other than the UK to understand. For those who wish to know, this is a nanny state, a police state. People are sent to gaol for merely downloading certain material, as was shown in a recent high-profile case. Here, you're convicted of thought crimes.

We need this.

[Japo]

I understand that and I sympathize with you. This is a trend observable elsewhere nowadays and, as you said, this is but one. What I said applied only if the government respected the principle that without a victim there can't be crime. If that's not respected I'm afraid that asking for one instance to be spared the arbitrariness in force elsewhere, is not enough, and as you said this is a broader issue.

I didn't even discourage signing the petition. Still what makes the difference is the attitude of the copyright holder. The petition doesn't make it clear whether it refers only to software whose distribution isn't opposed by any party (besides possibly the government but this is none of its business), software that's not sold but the copyright holder opposes its distribution, or whatever else.

[Tulac]

Legalize it!

[Playbahnosh]

The what now?

As far as I know, abandonware is perfectly legal, everywhere in the world, so you don't have to make it even more legal than this, but it's just me...:cool:

[Mighty Midget]

Originally Posted by Playbahnosh

The what now?

As far as I know, abandonware is perfectly legal, everywhere in the world, so you don't have to make it even more legal than this, but it's just me...:cool:

Um, not quite. Abandonware is very much illegal in (I'll guess) just about every country that hasn't counterfeight production as a main source of income. The thing is nobody gives a rat's arse about abandonware, legal-wise, but if they did they have all the laws they need to lock you up or at least fine your kidneys out.