Re: Copyright

[yeo@pigeon.qut.edu.au (Willie Yeo)]

	And if you want to discuss what is posted on the IDSA website, I 
then have to quote these 2 Q&A from the IDSA FAQ on software copyright.

>> Isn't it OK to copy games that are no longer distributed in the
>> stores or commercially exploited? 

 No, the current availability of a game in stores is irrelevant to its 
copyright status. Unlike trademarks, copyrights are not considered 
abandoned if they are no longer enforced. Copyrights do not enter the 
public domain just because they are no longer commercially exploited or 
widely available. Therefore, the copyrights of games are valid even if the 
games are not found on store shelves, and copying or distributing those 
games is a copyright infringement. 

>> Haven't the copyrights for old games (like Atari & Commodore) expired? 

 U.S. copyright laws state that copyrights owned by corporations are valid 
for 75 years from the date of first publication. Because video & computer 
games have been around for less than three decades, the copyrights of all 
video and computer programs will not expire for many decades to come. 

sheercon@earthlink.net wrote:

: My post was not meant to condone piracy or copyright infringement. I just
: thought it relevent to point out that there are degree's of "piracy" which
: should be considered. Of course the law is black and white on this issue but
: in the real world nobody get's prosecuted for having a bootleg copy of a 1984
: version of "Stickman" for the Apple II. With piracy of Nintendo 64 and sony
: playstation games so prevalent the IDSA(www.idsa.com) is not going to bother
: with sites that offer obsolete Apple games - or Commodore for that matter.
: Having talked with more than a few Commodore 64 programmers and being an
: amateur one myself I would venture to guess that the majority of these people
: don't care that their games are distributed; in fact some of the people I have
: talked to were flattered that people were still interested in their software
: after all these years. Of course, it is just common courtesy to try and get
: the authors permission before offering their software on your web site.

: I guess the point of my original post was if your going to get mad about
: piracy - get mad at all the contemporary software piracy which is ongoing and
: causing actual financial loss. (I know someone will chime in saying they can't
: sell their copy of Ultima now or something but I don't think anyone would
: argue that it equals the billions of dollars Nintendo, Sony and other
: companies lose every year)