5 ms·

Lawsuit waiting to happen?

teach 16y ago
Making a NES emulator in flash is a cool hack. What's not cool is releasing an "app" that's just a link to a website with 1000+ copyrighted games. In fact, many of the games aren't even abandonware, because they're available for sale through the Wii's virtual console. I'm not sure what bothers me more about the current generation of Internet users: that many of them actually think a site like this is legal, or that many know it's illegal and don't care.
- xd 16y ago
  I bought loads of NES games as a kid 15 years ago, with my hard earned pocket money, but lost them along the way (pretty sure they got binned), should I feel guilty for downloading them now?
- Roritharr 16y ago
  Having paid for many games there more than once, i honestly really don't care at all. If i count in my virtual console version i've bought the original Super Mario for the original NES, the Gameboy Color, Gameboy Advance and as an add-in for the Nintendo DS. I really can't remember if there was a Gamecube installment on a special disc or not, but thats beyond the point. I paid to play this game more often than i should ever be forced to and i'm not really concerned to play it in the browser if i want to. Most of the games listed there are in fact abandonware so there is noone who actually suffers, except people who feel that people should abide laws no matter how useless and/or damaging they maybe.
- mkr-hn 16y ago
  Current generation? Distributing ROMs and claiming it's fine goes back to the early days of the web. They even had disclaimers that said "This is legal if you already own the games."
  - burgerbrain 16y ago
    By "own the game" they mean "own a license to play the game". Why should ROMs not be legal if you already own the cartridge?
    - deleted 16y ago
      [deleted]
    - mkr-hn 16y ago
      You'll have to ask a copyright lawyer about that one. Every single one of those games had a notice somewhere in them saying not to copy them though.
    - T-R 16y ago
      Owning something like 5 copies of A Link to the Past, I agree with this sentiment (the format-shift argument), but I don't think it's proper justification for distributing them. As much as I'd argue it's fair for those who have paid, we can't ignore the fact that most people haven't.
- xiaoma 16y ago
  Oops. Sorry for the upvote there, everyone. I had intended to downvote it but missed. What bothers me about the current generation of internet users is the self-righteous segment. At least those from the US should consider that EVERYONE commits crimes, even felonies, regularly without even being aware of it. The complexity of the legal system has reached that point. In fact, based on the estimates in the Reason article linked below, the average American commits 3 felonies a day. Doesn't is seem possible that maybe there's a difference between ethical and legal? Broad unreasonable laws have a corrosive effect-- they reduce the average person's respect for the law. The culprit isn't "this generation of Internet users". It's the laws. And it's not hard to argue that IP protections that lock down important pieces of our shared culture decades after it could have any effect on the original authors ability or desire to create works for the public fall into that category of corrosive laws. http://reason.com/archives/2009/10/19/were-all-felons-now http://reason.com/archives/2009/10/19/were-all-felons-now http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122367645363324303.html http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122367645363324303.html
- warrenwilkinson 16y ago
  This is one of those things that while illegal, most of the participants (maybe even most people) would say is not immoral. Its not hard to see why. Playing games (or listening to music, or watching movies) is legal. Their crime was using an illegal distribution channel.

teach 16y ago

Making a NES emulator in flash is a cool hack. What's not cool is releasing an "app" that's just a link to a website with 1000+ copyrighted games. In fact, many of the games aren't even abandonware, because they're available for sale through the Wii's virtual console. I'm not sure what bothers me more about the current generation of Internet users: that many of them actually think a site like this is legal, or that many know it's illegal and don't care.

xd 16y ago
I bought loads of NES games as a kid 15 years ago, with my hard earned pocket money, but lost them along the way (pretty sure they got binned), should I feel guilty for downloading them now?
Roritharr 16y ago
Having paid for many games there more than once, i honestly really don't care at all. If i count in my virtual console version i've bought the original Super Mario for the original NES, the Gameboy Color, Gameboy Advance and as an add-in for the Nintendo DS. I really can't remember if there was a Gamecube installment on a special disc or not, but thats beyond the point. I paid to play this game more often than i should ever be forced to and i'm not really concerned to play it in the browser if i want to. Most of the games listed there are in fact abandonware so there is noone who actually suffers, except people who feel that people should abide laws no matter how useless and/or damaging they maybe.
mkr-hn 16y ago
Current generation? Distributing ROMs and claiming it's fine goes back to the early days of the web. They even had disclaimers that said "This is legal if you already own the games."
- burgerbrain 16y ago
  By "own the game" they mean "own a license to play the game". Why should ROMs not be legal if you already own the cartridge?
  - deleted 16y ago
    [deleted]
  - mkr-hn 16y ago
    You'll have to ask a copyright lawyer about that one. Every single one of those games had a notice somewhere in them saying not to copy them though.
  - T-R 16y ago
    Owning something like 5 copies of A Link to the Past, I agree with this sentiment (the format-shift argument), but I don't think it's proper justification for distributing them. As much as I'd argue it's fair for those who have paid, we can't ignore the fact that most people haven't.
xiaoma 16y ago
Oops. Sorry for the upvote there, everyone. I had intended to downvote it but missed. What bothers me about the current generation of internet users is the self-righteous segment. At least those from the US should consider that EVERYONE commits crimes, even felonies, regularly without even being aware of it. The complexity of the legal system has reached that point. In fact, based on the estimates in the Reason article linked below, the average American commits 3 felonies a day. Doesn't is seem possible that maybe there's a difference between ethical and legal? Broad unreasonable laws have a corrosive effect-- they reduce the average person's respect for the law. The culprit isn't "this generation of Internet users". It's the laws. And it's not hard to argue that IP protections that lock down important pieces of our shared culture decades after it could have any effect on the original authors ability or desire to create works for the public fall into that category of corrosive laws. http://reason.com/archives/2009/10/19/were-all-felons-now http://reason.com/archives/2009/10/19/were-all-felons-now http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122367645363324303.html http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122367645363324303.html
warrenwilkinson 16y ago
This is one of those things that while illegal, most of the participants (maybe even most people) would say is not immoral. Its not hard to see why. Playing games (or listening to music, or watching movies) is legal. Their crime was using an illegal distribution channel.