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MAME and the law.
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Vulgar Soul:
I recently read thread by Nitz about a MAME cab being found in a theater. I've always wondered about all of you in the BYOAC community's stance on the legal use MAME. If this thread is a little too much for safe, legal discussion, please feel free to lock it mods.

Now first off, I believe in MAME, and emulators in general, as a means of preserving and recreating a history of gaming media that is no longer available. I DO NOT support the use of MAME or emulators in a large, public, commercial environment for profit.

Now, Like many of you here, I plan to use MAME and build a personal arcade machine and game room hall. I miss the old days of the arcades and real social gaming, and am excited to bring it back in my own home. Now, many people put coin doors on their custom machines, and wire it to accept quarters/tokens. I would like to do the same things, not because I want to make money off of people, but me and my friends are really serious about recreating that old arcade experience at home, which includes dropping some quarters and playing a game. Is this drawing the line a little? I mean, MAME cabs in an actual business, especially accepting money, is obviously a big violation and disrespect of what MAME was meant for. But in the private environment of someone wishing to recreate arcade gaming in his home, is this drawing the line?

Again, I would like a good discussion but I hope this isn't bringing legal MAME/emulator discussion too far on the board. If it is, please feel free to lock/delete thread mods.
andrewbean90:
i agree build mame cabs at home not in movie theaters
SlayerAlex:
Basicly just dont make money off of it. You can have it in your home but dont invite family over and charge your cousins 6 Bucks for a game o NBA JAM! = o lol

If you made any money, Theres a million other people that would deserve that money more then you. so just dont.
saint:
I don't mind a good philosophical discussion. A legal discussion is pretty short however. Using ROMs you don't own is illegal. What you are really leaning towards, I think, is a moral discussion. Is it moral to use ROMs at home? That discussion I leave to each of you.
Malenko:
yeah, the legal thing is cut and dry. I own an NBA Jam PCB, but I cant take the PCB out of my NBA Jam cab and put a PC in there running NBA Jam on MAME and charge for it. This is of course assuming I got the tax sticker, etc



Morally, I dunno. I play games I dont own, more often then not I play games Ive never heard of or had access to. Im a player collector....just because I have MAME to play doesnt mean I dont want to collect a ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- ton of real cabs.
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