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MAMEdev is Pulling Auctions!

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KevSteele:


--- Quote from: Chris on June 08, 2005, 09:05:43 am ---
--- Quote from: KevSteele on June 08, 2005, 08:56:46 am ---It pains me to say this, but I really hope that Foley's "i-ROMs" service is a success. If we can get reasonably priced legal ROMs, MAME can step out of the shadows and all of this trademark nonsense will be pointless. None of this would be happening if legal ROMs were available.

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I disagree.
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Tiger-Heli:


--- Quote from: Chris on June 08, 2005, 09:05:43 am ---
--- Quote from: KevSteele on June 08, 2005, 08:56:46 am ---It pains me to say this, but I really hope that Foley's "i-ROMs" service is a success. If we can get reasonably priced legal ROMs, MAME can step out of the shadows and all of this trademark nonsense will be pointless. None of this would be happening if legal ROMs were available.

--- End quote ---
I disagree.  The defenders of the MAMEDevs' actions keep saying this is about legal protection, but the MAMEDevs themselves say this is about keeping people from making any money off their name.  In that respect, having legally-available ROMs will make the trademark situation worse, not better.

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I can't say how it will all shake out, but I think what MAMEdev is really trying to do is keep the project from being shut down if some anti-piracy coalition gets involved.

If Roms are legalized (i-ROMS), MAME gains legitimacy, and I don't think the dev's will care as much about enforcing the trademark.

Of course, that also means you may no longer be able to download MAME and may see MAME in a box at Best Buy (remember what ended up happening with BLEEM).

Another issue to be resolved is ROMS for Bootleg games that are in copyright violation in their own right.  Can these be sold through i-ROMS?  Will they be removed from MAME?  What about ROMS that the original copyright owner is out of business and their successor is in dispute?  What about say NAMCO that may have rights to the ROMS currently in MAME and no interest in making them available at any price?

Tiger-Heli:


--- Quote from: KevSteele on June 08, 2005, 09:24:28 am ---Well, bottom line is this: on eBay, MAMEdev's wishes rule unquestioned. In the "real world," who knows? I'm curious about what's going to happen if a company like MAMEroom decides to fight rather than change names. Will MAMEdev decide it's worth the trouble and expense of taking them to court?

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CyberPunk (MAMEroom) has already said in this thread,  that he contends his company was named irrespective of MAME the emulator and prior to it's existence, and he will not change it without a court battle.  He also (probably accurately) claims that he was USING the name in commerce prior the MAMEdev's trademark application, so if MAMEdev takes him to court, he will likely countersue that MAME is a derivative of his company name and they must cease operations under that name as trademark infringement on MAMEroom.

Yes, indeed, outside of E-bay, and with lawyers involved, things get sticky real fast!


HoopstarsGarage:

My 2 cents worth..

MAME was from the start about the enthusiast keeping the old stuff alive - MAME was exactly what this very site is about - Build Your Own...!!  It IS free.  ROM burners essentially do it for free.  People on this very website offer so much for free - and why?
Because they are passionate about keeping the dream alive..

I do not support those selling "complete solutions" on EBay because I think they threaten the very nature of why the companies that OWN these ROMs have left us and the MAMEdev's alone - because it is a non-profit thing.

These people selling their wares on Ebay are almost rubbing it in the noses of the proprietary owners of these ROMs and threaten everything that this site and our community is about.








RayB:

Using MAME as a keyword to sell barrel locks is stupid, but the MAMEdevs are not "the stupid police".

VERO notices say that "under penalty of perjury" (or something to that effect) the complainant claims there's an infringement...

The MAMEdevs had better be careful with their "shotgun" approach, as they will be guilty of perjury making certain claims that turn out false.


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