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That's what abandonware was all about. If you don't support or sell the software any more, it becomes public domain. But it was a idealistic view not accountin

That's what abandonware was all about. If you don't support or sell the software any more, it becomes public domain. But it was a idealistic view not accounting for the future. Today you can run virtualized anything anywhere. The software companies can claim 80s software still being usable because they can deploy it that way. We considered that console game ROMs will become public domain because once the console lifecycle is over, no original proprietor earns a dime. It's all 2nd hand sales from there on. But, today you run these via their virtual console products and they still make money off them, so public domain is off limits.

coldpie 3y ago
> That's what abandonware was all about. If you don't support or sell the software any more, it becomes public domain. In what jurisdiction? Definitely not the US or any of its major economic partners, at least.
- zare_st 3y ago
  In no jurisdiction, it was the motto behind abandonware movement. All of laws, this one, IP laws, everything concerning software is far too simplistic. Tho if you want to dance in the grey zone, universally I think it's worthless for a company to sue you when they can claim no damages. This is why old software piracy sites exist by a shovel. If site owner and hosting doesn't care about cease and desist letters and just routes them to spam, the lawyers sending them know they cannot actually mount a case. Else they have to explain how $0 of projected damages is worth court's time.