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[TheSmyth]

I've read a lot of posts on this site regarding CDAccess. As soon as someone points out that they have a game, it seems to get deemed "not abandonware". But they only have a limited number of most titles (i.e. old stock!).

And there seems to be some confusion about games being abandonware just because they can be found for sale.

A couple of examples:-

Earthworm Jim:
http://www.cdaccess.com/html/pc/earthjim.htm
This game was out on the site only recently,yet CDAccess are still selling it. Should it be removed? :crazy:

Asteroids:
http://www.cdaccess.com/html/pc/asteroid.htm
Not the original version, but produced by Activision, who assumingly still hold the rights? (Length of time may be a factor here though).

These aren't the only examples, so maybe the rules on what is and what isn't abandonware need to be cleared up a little?

Your views people?

[Timpsi]

The matter has been discussed before as well, for example in this thread. The matter is simply so that Abandonia wishes to respect retailers that still carry old titles. For example HOTU has a smiliar policy.

And yes, if you find a game on the site that is still for sale online, report it to the admins at it the download link will be changed into a link to the retailer.

[Rogue]

OEM version of game on sale? Isn't that version that should be sold only with hardware??? :blink:

[The Fifth Horseman]

OEM version of game on sale? Isn't that version that should be sold only with hardware???

*coughcough*
Do they realize?

[Rogue]

They indeed are doing something illegal.

Also just for note, most of the software will problably never sell on their site, as old games are overpriced.

[The Fifth Horseman]

Hmm.... does this mean that we should treat CDA as a retailer OR as a warez company?
Because if they sell an illegal copy of the game, this does not make them any better then we are... except we don't make money on our games here.

[TheSmyth]

Not sure if "requests" was the right place to start this topic. Maybe a mod could move it. But it does relate to requests for game i suppose.

I have nothing personal against cdaccess or any of the other comapnies offering older titles. Credit to them (although the prices do seem extortionate!!! )

But like people have already commented, does one retailer selling the software mean that it is not abandonware?
For information, having worked at a UK games store i can tell you that we had to purchase the games from the publishers to sell in our stores. The publisher has had their percentage, regardless of whether we sold the games on, or not. When the prices of the games dropped it was usually the store that took the punishment.

If that same store was still running, and selling any game on this site, would it mean that it wasn't abandonware?

Or how about if i buy every copy from cdaccess, and offer them for sale as "new" on ebay?

Or perhaps a specialist games shop (expensive types of places that sell snes consoles for ?100 and that type of thing) is selling used copies for ?40? We'd be putting them out of business.

There seems to be a lot of grey areas in the abandonware world, and it's understandable when it comes down to who still owns the rights to a game etc... but something more definitive needs to be done when it just comes down to games that are still for sale.

Rant finished. And if you've read this far......................... thankyou.

[Timpsi]

Originally posted by TheSmyth@Mar 15 2005, 06:02 PM
I have nothing personal against cdaccess or any of the other comapnies offering older titles. Credit to them (although the prices do seem extortionate!!!* )

Yep, the prices can be anything from a dollar to 50. There's a list of online stores stickied at the Favourite Oldies and Newbies, and going through them can sometimes help finding better offers.

But like people have already commented, does one retailer selling the software mean that it is not abandonware?

Well, yes and no. The usual definition of abandonware is that the game is no longer sold or supported by the copyright holder. By this definition the software in your example would not be abandonware. However, for example HOTU and Abandonia wish to support the retailers and not offer downloads for games that are available for purchase on the net. Other sites may have different policies.

If that same store was still running, and selling any game on this site, would it mean that it wasn't abandonware?

It'd mean that instead of a download link there would be a buy link to the site selling the game.

Or how about if i buy every copy from cdaccess, and offer them for sale as "new" on ebay?

Or perhaps a specialist games shop (expensive types of places that sell snes consoles for ?100 and that type of thing) is selling used copies for ?40? We'd be putting them out of business.

Well, yeah, here's the thing. Generally only established merchants selling new copies of software are accepted. For example eBay and the second-hand sales at Amazon aren't taken into account.

It is true that for example the specialist stores you mentioned can be harmed by abandonware sites, but the line has to be drawn somewhere, and I personally believe that currently it is at the right place.


And what comes to CDAccess selling OEM versions, that is a bit disturbing. But then again, it is not uncommon to find OEM versions from bargain bins, either. However, I've dropped a line to CDA asking them about it, and hopefully soon they will explain their point of view (or alternatively either ignore my e-mail or send a bunch of corporate bulls manure).

[TheSmyth]

Originally posted by Timpsi@Mar 15 2005, 04:28 PM
"The usual definition of abandonware is that the game is no longer sold or supported by the copyright holder."

"It is true that for example the specialist stores you mentioned can be harmed by abandonware sites, but the line has to be drawn somewhere"

Nuclear Strike: No longer sold / Supported by EA?

CDAccess: "specialist games shop?"

Don't get me wrong Timpsi, my argument isn't with you. I just feel that it's a bit hypocritical of the whole abandonware scene to look for certain aspects of a game to define it as "not-abandonware". When in the same circumstances another game may be.

If CDAccess was to begin selling copies of a shareware game (which they already do) That doesn't mean that it is no longer shareware.
Likewise, if they have a game which is now in the public domain i.e. http://www.cdaccess.com/html/pc/draglair.htm
(Recently given away free with numerous ganming magazines)
That doesn'y mean that they cannot sell it.

[TaloN]

theyre re-selling OEM?

my view on CDAccess is that it seems to get hold of old games and sell them on, but thats me.