Are Arcade roms now legal ?

[KDOG]

when I was listening to to the twit podcast. They reported back in 2003 the copyright office made some exceptions to the DMCA.
here is the original article.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20031029-3040.html

and the one to Copyright office
http://www.copyright.gov/1201/2003/index.html


So just wondering what you all opinion are? legal or not

[Lilwolf]

No

Let me add to this.  This makes emulation legal without any question.  Emulating a game that you can reasonalby can not buy replacements hardware anyway.

Basically says that if you have the right to use some software that originally only ran on specific hardware... and that hardware is unavailable... you can find hardware / software solutions so you can use that same license.  It doesn't give you MORE licenses or make that license invalid... just allows you to get around HOW you use it.

[MameJunkie]

/\_______/\
Yea...Nope...

[missioncontrol]

afraid not

[Havok]

Waiting for the inevitable Chad post...

 

[SirPoonga]

note the law says "circumvention of technological measures that control access to copyrighted works".  It doesn't say "this stuff is now public domain".  "Circumvention of technological measures" is a big worded phrase meaning break encryption or emulate a piece of hardware (like a security dongle) of the obsolete software.
There's some software that will only run if a piece of hardware is hooked up to the machine.  A good example of this is SigmaNEST software.  this is modern software that takes CAD and figures out hte best way to control cutting machine to get the best use of material.  It requires a usb key to be plugged into the computer in order to use the software.  Once that becomes obsolete it would be legal for someone to create a crack to bypass that security measure.

[RayB]

It does say "this stuff is now public domain".

[SirPoonga]

You mean "doesn't".

fixed

[MajorLag]

Indeed not. Thanks to US copyright law even the oldest of roms won't be public domain in the US for several decades (assuming it isn't extended AGAIN)

[DarkKobold]

I can draw out a Chad post.
 I deserve these roms.... Nay, the companies owe it to me for me to play their measely games. For me not to have roms, would  be a travesty to the world.... etc....

[Glaine]

HAHAHA......nope......
But one day everyone will come to realize the sins of not giving us everything for free, and repent!

On the other, no one can afford to buy 5,000 arcade machines, and its unrealistic that anyone would pay for most of em. Anyone who can...you suck...

[ArcadEd]

I really wish companies would get together and make and iTunes like application for purchasing roms.  iRoms maybe .

I mean if the music company can get together and do something like this you would think Capcom, Taito, Sega and many others could do the same.

[RayB]

I mean if the music company can get together and do something like this you would think Capcom, Taito, Sega and many others could do the same.

Ha. I hope you're joking. The music industry had to be forced into it. Even now they are still trying to push iTunes into charging MORE per track and give them a bigger cut than they already get. Music companies are a joke.

[stratjakt]

They make more money charging 49.99 for "midways lamest crap" for the XBox 360, or releasing "classic series" games for

There is StarRoms, and the venerable David R Foley promises another similar service.  Don't plan on seeing every company jump on board though, Nintendo plans to do this all on their own w/Revolution.

[ArcadEd]

Well that was kind of my point, that they did agree to come together and get it done.

[Havok]

Well that was kind of my point, that they did agree to come together and get it done.

[ArcadEd]

Havok, I will do that.

[Crazy Cooter]

I really wish companies would get together and make and iTunes like application for purchasing roms.

Gametap 
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=36125.0

[RayB]

Gametap

[SirPoonga]

And most everyting on gametap you can buy right now anyway.

[ArcadEd]

Yeah, for probably less than a year subscription .  15 bucks a month seems pretty steep to me.