bit-tech News: Abandonware: The Ethics and Essentials

[news 28]

Hi all,

 

We have just published a feature on *Abandonware*, which discusses the

ethics and essentials of the subject. If you could post a link on your

site that would be very much appreciated.

 

*Link:*

http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/pc/2009/01/24/abandonware-the-ethics-and-essentials/1

 

 

*Picture:*

http://images.bit-tech.net/content_images/2009/01/abandonware-the-ethics-and-essentials/fp_img.jpg

 

 

*Quote:

*/As PC gamers, we tend to be as much about the good games of old as the

up and coming new releases. We know that, while Crysis is all very

pretty and fun, there's a lot of nostalgic joy to be had by going back

to some of the old Infocom titles.

 

That's true for console gamers too of course and we know loads of people

who've hung on to their original GameBoys and Mega Drives, but being

primarily PC gamers we're in the unique position of being able to get a

lot of our favourite old gamers easily and for free.

 

Much of this is down to the merit of abandonware -- the online

distribution of games that are no longer available for sale or are owned

by companies that have gone out of business. These games have been

abandoned, hence the name.

 

Unfortunately though, abandonware is a bit of a thorny issue in PC

gaming circles and, while some developers are happy to give away the

licenses on their back catalogues and let players enjoy them for free,

others aren't so kind-hearted. There are even some egregiously greedy

companies that will happily hunt you down and sue you for downloading

their old games./

*

 

*Cheers guys!

 

Tim Smalley

www.bit-tech.net