DOSGAMES - legality of it?

[angelica]

Sorry but can someone pls answer this question:
Is dosgames illigal or not to download - confused about this!!

[Dogbreath]

Of course it is! Anything you download on this site is 100% legal, whether under freeware, shareware, or public domain licences.

[angelica]

cool thanx for answering!

[Kazer0]

Notice on this site meaning one of the three sites here: www.dosgames.com , www.dosgamesarchive.com and www.dosgamesonline.com . Any other site may have illegal dos games, so watch out

[Dogbreath]

Generally, almost any site will warn you beforehand that they are illegal. Look for games/sites labeled abandonware or warez and avoid them if you don't wanna break the law, though admittedly there's no way you'll ever get caught if you do.

[wardrich]

Thanks for comming to the forums and asking first though. That was a wise move. When it comes to DOS Games (and windows games alike) you just have to see what the game is classified as to know whether it is legal or not.

<table border=1 width=100%>
<caption>The Legal Side</caption>
<tr><td align="center">Classification</td><td align="center">Description</td></tr>
<tr><td align="center"><font color="green">Demo</td><td align="center">Demos are usually VERY limited versions of games. Where Shareware may contain a whole episode, a Demo may only contain one or two levels.</td></tr>
<tr><td align="center"><font color="green">Shareware</td><td align="center">Demo version of a game. Free to share around (hence the name). Shareware games tend to be more complete than Demos.</td></tr>
<tr><td align="center"><font color="green">Freeware</td><td align="center">Freeware is full-blown game. The whole 100% with no limitations what-so-ever. Freeware games are free either because the author was very generous and released it as freeware right away, or it may be an older game that a company no longer supports and they release it as freeware. Be sure NOT to confuse Abandonware with Freeware!</td></tr>
</table>


<table border=1 width=100%>
<caption>The <strike>Dark</strike> Illegal Side</caption>
<tr><td align="center">Classification</td><td align="center">Description</td></tr>
<tr><td align="center"><font color="red">Abandonware</td><td align="center">Abandonware are old (usually DOS) games that are no longer supported by the release company and author. These games, due to copyright laws, are illegal to download. The only way they can become legal is if the author gives permission for them to be freely downloaded. I believe the law states 75 years until abandonware will become freeware. </td></tr>
<tr><td align="center"><font color="red">Warez</td><td align="center">Warez is the term given to any modern software that can be downloaded through any medium, whether it be P2P, BB's, IRC, Internet... Warez is probably the worst and most common form of Internet piracy.</td></tr>
</table>

Hope this helps, if I'm wrong anywhere, just let me know and I'll fix it up.
-Richard-

[Guest]

I believe the law states 75 years

Yes, in the United States.

In Canada and some other countries, the copyright expires 50 years after the death of the author.

[Ro@m]

hmmm....75 years,hope i'm still alive when carmack dies....