Illegal Amiga software, what are the rules (US)

[ricco32097]

What kind of penalty would you get if you got caught downloading a couple of Amiga games? Superfrog, Elite and such.
I don't have anything illegal on my computer. E-Bay and other web sites does offer these games from time to time.
Has there been report of any cases lately of people getting fined for downloading Amiga games.

[uncharted]

ricco32097 wrote:
What kind of penalty would you get if you got caught downloading a couple of Amiga games? Superfrog, Elite and such.
I don't have anything else illegal on my computer. E-Bay and other web sites does offer these games from time to time.
Has there been report of any cases lately of people getting fined for downloading Amiga games.

Not going to comment on the rest of the stuff (it's against T&C), but Superfrog (and others) is legally available for download at http://www.dream17.co.uk/downloads.php?cat=1

[jkirk]

What kind of penalty would you get if you got caught downloading a couple of Amiga games?

you open yourself up to a lawsuit in which you will have to pay restitution. whether that happens or not depends on the company that owns the ip.

E-Bay and other web sites does offer these games from time to time.

that is probably your best source just make sure the ones you are bidding on are not pirated.

Has there been report of any cases lately of people getting fined for downloading Amiga games.

haven't heard of any but that does not mean they don't happen.

@uncharted

(it's against T&C),

?? whatcha talkin about? asking questions is not against t&c(unless your question is where do i find pirated downloads.)

[ricco32097]

jkirk: Thanks for your response

[uncharted]

jkirk wrote:

@uncharted

(it's against T&C),

?? whatcha talkin about? asking questions is not against t&c(unless your question is where do i find pirated downloads.)

Perhaps I'm being paranoid :crazy:, however, I was thinking more along the lines of No posting about illegal activities, as it's IMO basically asking whether it's worth doing a crime, and what the chances are of getting caught doing that crime.

With stupid copyright laws and bottom-feeding lawyers to enforce them, one can't be too careful IMHO.  I'd rather try to be helpful in a more legal way. :-)

[guru-666]

 not to mention that you will go straight to hell.  LOL

[ricco32097]

I guess my question should had been: 'Is Amiga software still under copyright?'

[jkirk]

uncharted wrote:

Perhaps I'm being paranoid :crazy:, however, I was thinking more along the lines of No posting about illegal activities, as it's IMO basically asking whether it's worth doing a crime, and what the chances are of getting caught doing that crime.

With stupid copyright laws and bottom-feeding lawyers to enforce them, one can't be too careful IMHO.  I'd rather try to be helpful in a more legal way. :-)

i can understand you pov and yes it gives pause as to the answer.

technically this is not a crime and is not illegal. it instead unlawful(not supported by the law) and copyright infringement. a crime puts you in jail. copyright infringement siphons your pocketbook.

[Piru]

Is Amiga software still under copyright?

Wikipedia: Copyright - How long copyright lasts

[jkirk]

ricco32097 wrote:
I guess my question should had been: 'Is Amiga software still under copyright?'

i guess the best way to answer is that it will never be out of copyright. as content comes up for expiration of copyright(mickey mouse springs to mind) the copyright holders petition to keep their copyright. with money under their belts they usually get their way and the smaller copyrights get extensions as a result. who knows when this will end.

[Darrin]

Piru wrote:

Is Amiga software still under copyright?

Wikipedia: Copyright - How long copyright lasts

Still, so is that music you admitted to downloading on another thread and that apparently doesn't stop you.  Oh, the irony...   :-D

[Piru]

@Darrin

so is that music you admitted to downloading on another thread

What music? What thread?

Even if I was, the Finnish law says

Anyone is allowed to copy music, movies, and television and radio broadcasts for their own private use. This is based on the Finnish Copyright Act, which allows published works to be copied without the author's permission. This type of copying is called "private copying."

In 1984, the Finnish Copyright Act was amended so that a "blank tape levy" was introduced to compensate private copying. Due to the European Union Copyright Directive the blank tape levy is now called "fair compensation for private copying." The purpose of fair compensation for private copying is to guarantee that when an EU Member State allows private copying, the creators and other right-owners will receive fair compensation.

source

Note that this does not mean that copyright would not apply. Of course it does. Also, this does not mean you would somehow be allowed to pirate computer programs.

Oh, I am sure the above does not apply to United States.

[Darrin]

@ Piru:  I was joking about the hard time you gave me on a thread about a certain USB stack and another thread you recently posted in about students getting nailed for downloading MP3s.   ;-)

@ All:  Back to the subject of Amiga games, it is a problem worth mentioning as we need software to keep the system alive.  Little or no software is currently being developed for purchasing and anyone who buys a second hand Amiga will have a hard time finding software sold at retail.  Even Amiga Forever owners without a real Amiga need access to ADF files because an original Amiga floppy game is not going to work in their PC's floppy drive.

My personal opionion is that someone who wants a particular piece of software should first check the few Amiga stores still operating (Softhut, Amigakit, etc) and then check sites such as eBay.  I should think that if you actually own an original Amiga disk of a game then you cannot be prosecuted for downloading an ADF image of the same program.  Heaven knows how many of my original Amiga disks still work, and downloading ADF files would be my only solution to replace a corrupted game.

[Darrin]

Piru wrote:
@Darrin
Even if I was, the Finnish law says

Anyone is allowed to copy music, movies, and television and radio broadcasts for their own private use. This is based on the Finnish Copyright Act, which allows published works to be copied without the author's permission. This type of copying is called "private copying."

Note that this does not mean that copyright would not apply. Of course it does. Also, this does not mean you would somehow be allowed to pirate computer programs.

Oh, I am sure the above does not apply to United States.

Ah, so you're proud of the fact that you're countrymen are a bunch of music-copying pirates.  It's just Americans copying software that's disgusting.  I see...   ;-)

[Piru]

Even Amiga Forever owners without a real Amiga need access to ADF files because an original Amiga floppy game is not going to work in their PC's floppy drive.

Reading Amiga Floppy Disks on PC