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[dr_st]

Originally posted by Tom Henrik
I think 3D Realms, Sierra, Apogee, Soleau Software, LucasArts, Softdisk, Team 17, and ESPECIALLY ESA and a lot of other companies might like to have a word with you regarding that statement of yours.

I still stand by my statement. Notice how I said "really carez".

Originally posted by Omuletzu+--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Omuletzu)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>Dos 7.10 is freeware[/b]

Oh, really? Well, what is this DOS 7.10? Who made it? What's it based on?

<!--QuoteBegin-A.J. Raffles
To be quite honest, I can't really see much of a point in this discussion. I mean, squabbling over definitions is all very well, but in the end the current policy of avoiding anything which might get a company to sue us is the most reasonable thing to do, right?[/quote]

Exactly.

[Omuletzu]

http://newdos.yginfo.net/msdos71/
The site is down at the moment

[Eagle of Fire]

logic is teh following

1. Enscription on games box says required system to use is 386-25Mhz or higher
2. Game doesen't run on P4 3000Mhz because it's too fast for it
3. Game is not even allowed to be sold, because what says on the box is not true (it's a lie). Consumer is protected.

You really need to get your facts up before saying random things. What is written on the box was fine when the game been created so the laws don't apply to them since they already followed them. Company is safe and laughing at people who think like you.

There is really nothing such as "false representation" in games. Even if the box says that your minimum requirement is a 200 mhz Pentium it's none of the business or responsability of the company who created the game if you can't manage to make it run on a modern computer.

[Titan]

Anyone has anything more to add?

[racer]

[quote]

I don´t see why is illegal to be honest. Some companies even don´t have old games listed in any catalog. The copyrights are stated in the box, but you can´t buy it anymore from the company and even if they were so kindly to sell...let´s say 50 units of it to hard core fanatics..., is highly probable that they´ll not do it, because the profit is not worthy and blah blah, blah blah. A fine example of this is F1RS from Ubi Soft. The game is not listed anymore and you can´t buy it. So if you want a new one what´ll you gonna do?? (I´m talking about a NEW package not an Ebay used one).

GP2 on the other hand, is a 1996 game, owned by Mobygames (I think). It´s still being sold, altough they don´t give support. It´s not abandon by the fact the rights are still owned and you can buy it.

I´ve seen Cannon Foder as abandonware, BUT is owned by Mobygames too. Is available for downloading in some "selected" abandonware sites out there. THIS IS WAREZ

A comparision that comes to mind: a 1980 LP music maybe is not sold anymore at Tower Records, but you can buy a new one in CD. The same copyrights are there as in the LP, and the company is still supporting it by having it in their catalog and ships the discs needed to the store. Maybe music industry is more "mature"...ok, they have 100 years of history.

We are NOT about "free gamez", we'r about nostalgy. We target ppl who where in the 10-20 yr range in the late 80's early 90's.
This is where the games start REALY to drop off, and might be lost forever.

Exactly, we´re not aiming the piracy neither warez. We´re promoting a software exchange which is not being sold, supported or available anymore. 99% as in the F1RS example.
This is just one of 4 dictionary definitions given for abandon: "To surrender one's claim to, right to, or interest in; give up entirely".

[A. J. Raffles]

Erm, sorry to be so fussy about a small detail, racer, but would you mind fixing your quotes? It's Titan you're quoting, not me.

[gregor]

Originally posted by Titan@May 6 2005, 09:41 AM


The creator has the EXCLUSIVE right to his/her code up to 90 years after it was created (and if things go as planed, that will be extended to 125 years in USA)

Exactly! They hold Copyrights, meaning you are not allowed to make copies.
Therefore all abandonware is illegal unless there is a special permision form the author that the game can be copied (such as Cesar and Red Baron).

However the game can still be sold in this case (but i doubt anyone would buy it).

[gregor]

Originally posted by Eagle of Fire@May 6 2005, 04:22 PM

You really need to get your facts up before saying random things. What is written on the box was fine when the game been created so the laws don't apply to them since they already followed them. Company is safe and laughing at people who think like you.*
r.

Unfortunatelly this does' matter. IF you sell it now, facts on box must be for now. it's all to protect the consumer. And it doesne't say minium requiremnt but on some game sit says on 386 or higher! Meaning it has to work on higher processor.

It's like saying you can use an appliance for 110V or higher. and then you plug it into 220V and it messes up your electricity at home at the least. not to mention that appalince is ruined. what do you think the outcome would be? the will say "It's ok because when it was made it worked fine."

Or another example is that car can go 50kph or higher and then the engine explodes at 160kph causing an accident.

we have a law here that doesen't allow false advertising (and that is exactly what that enscriptions is). Sure in this case you can politely return the game, get you money back and report the incident to consumer protection agency who will then take care of lawsuit if the merchandise is not either fixed ot removed form the shelf.

Let me give another example. In McDonalds they advertised that if you buy 4 milk-shakes you get a FIFA 2002 WC. well guess what you got the game but only demo version. Their advertising was false and we sent a note (telling them that what they done is illegal by law) to their HQ in my country. They thanked us for not reporting them to the agency, gave us free lunch coupons and changed the ad where they added big letter "DEMO" to the text. If they hadn't done that i would report them to the agency and they will sue them for missleading consumers.

See?I think I have my facts straight.

[xoopx]

there are few things that are abandoned in the truest sense, like some arcade games that were made in the former communist east germany.. who owns the copyright is lost in the mists of time.
companies in the west that went bust may well have someone else who owns the rights, but wether those people would want to enforce it is another matter.

i think the thing to emphasize is that AT BEST abandonware is a "grey area" and at worst just a thin veil of warez... with a sliding scale of ethics;
people who make copies of games that are still sold, and SELL those (pirates) *worst
people who make copies of games that arent sold, and sell them
people who make copies of games that are still sold and just share them
people who make copies of games that arent sold and just share them
people who make copies of games that have permission given to copy and share *best

[Eagle of Fire]

Gregor, I don't know in which part of the globe you are from but all your examples are really not related to the software example. It's just like comparing apples with bananas.

And your Mc Donald example is very revellant, but has again nothing to do with the current software example.