• Beej Jorgensen@lemmy.sdf.org
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    88
    ·
    8 months ago

    Related: Internet Archive hosts zillions of abandoned games. Publishers are currently trying to sue it out of existence. They accept donations.

    • tal@lemmy.today
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      14
      arrow-down
      26
      ·
      8 months ago

      I mean, I’d like games to be available, but I don’t see archive.org’s legal basis for providing it. I mean, the stuff is copyrighted. Lack of commercial availability doesn’t change that.

      Yeah, some abandonware sites might try to just fly under the radar, and some rightsholders might just not care, might not be much value there. But once you’re in a situation where a publisher is fighting a legal battle with you, you’re clearly not trying that route.

      You can argue that copyright law should be revised. Maybe copyright on video games should be shorter or something. Maybe there should be some provision that if a product isn’t offered for sale for longer than a certain period of time, copyright goes away. But I don’t think that this is the route to get that done.

      • haui@lemmy.giftedmc.com
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        56
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        8 months ago

        Legal doesnt mean correct. Slavery used to be legal.

        Copyright is a broken system that gives giant corporations the power to hold art ransom. There is no argument that holds up against art being preserved.

        So no, copyright might have had use in the past but by now it is morally sound to pirate.

          • haui@lemmy.giftedmc.com
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            10
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            8 months ago

            If thats the case they pushed a lot of pro IP sentiment with it.

            It’s cruel that companies are even able to do shit like this and we should destroy them for it.

              • haui@lemmy.giftedmc.com
                link
                fedilink
                arrow-up
                3
                ·
                8 months ago

                Maybe copyright on video games should be shorter or something. Maybe there should be some provision that if a product isn’t offered for sale for longer than a certain period of time, copyright goes away. But I don’t think that this is the route to get that done.

                This person is playing devils advocate imo. Either they are very interested in law and facts and not much in justice or they‘re low level trolling. I cant say and I dont want to accuse them so I‘ll go with the former.

                It is completely obvious imo that the IP scam is going rampant and companies are finding new ways to abuse customers every day, although the governments worldwide are pushing back (finally).

                Still, stating it like this shows they could not care less and the lack of compassion with people who feel strongly about freedom and equality rubs me the wrong way.

                Does this male more sense to you?

      • vort3@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        13
        ·
        8 months ago

        Lack of commercial availability doesn’t change that.

        But is there any reason why it doesn’t?