C
CHarneyCHRIS
i just found this "The Library of Congress has recently granted copyright
exemptions in the Digital Millenium Act to obsolete games. The exemption
applies to games that require the original hardware as a condition of access,
and if the game is “no longer manufactured or reasonably available in the
commercial marketplace.†This means that old, unsupported PC, console and
arcade games will now be legal to own (so your illegal copy of Mame roms are
now legit). The only muddy side is if publishers consider their old games to be
“reasonably available†and plan to release classic games as bundles or
bonuses, then the copyright protection still stands.
The Digital Millenium Copyright Act, or DMCA was passed on October 12, 1998 to
address piracy and copyright concerns specifically pertaining to software and
the internet properties. Some of the notable provisions included the outlawed
circumvention of anti-piracy laws and distrubition or sale of code-cracking
devices. Brewster Kahle from the non-profit company Internet Archive petitioned
the US Copyright office, and to the delightful surprise of many, the petition
was approved.
While game companies will undoubtedly cling on to as many of the old games as
they can, many of the older unsupported titles are now free game. Those who
have been downloading such games can now keep them in their hard drives with a
clear conscience."
exemptions in the Digital Millenium Act to obsolete games. The exemption
applies to games that require the original hardware as a condition of access,
and if the game is “no longer manufactured or reasonably available in the
commercial marketplace.†This means that old, unsupported PC, console and
arcade games will now be legal to own (so your illegal copy of Mame roms are
now legit). The only muddy side is if publishers consider their old games to be
“reasonably available†and plan to release classic games as bundles or
bonuses, then the copyright protection still stands.
The Digital Millenium Copyright Act, or DMCA was passed on October 12, 1998 to
address piracy and copyright concerns specifically pertaining to software and
the internet properties. Some of the notable provisions included the outlawed
circumvention of anti-piracy laws and distrubition or sale of code-cracking
devices. Brewster Kahle from the non-profit company Internet Archive petitioned
the US Copyright office, and to the delightful surprise of many, the petition
was approved.
While game companies will undoubtedly cling on to as many of the old games as
they can, many of the older unsupported titles are now free game. Those who
have been downloading such games can now keep them in their hard drives with a
clear conscience."