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MAME machine legalities
Zebidee:
--- Quote from: Green Giant on September 11, 2007, 12:51:33 am ---Now if you live somewhere other than the US, there might be laws saying mame is illegal.
--- End quote ---
Just so happens that I have some background in this particular area of international law. :o
I'm pretty sure that he US jurisdiction is the hardest in the world regarding copyright protected by anti-circumvention technology, emulators, roms, copyright protection. The US has been pushing hard in these areas internationally over the past decade or so, and had some limited successes through international agreements, especially bilateral FTAs (Free Trade Agreements).
US agenda is clear - tighter copyright and intellectual property protection advantages the US, as it is a net exporter of these things (in fact, largest producer in the world). Therefore it generally advantages the US to make sure that there is greater legal protection over intellectual property, in favour of the original producers. That is, US technology and content producers stand to gain from stronger laws protecting their rights to exploit their IP commercially. Therefore, the US tries to call mod-chips "illegal".
I'll shut up now :-X
sac01:
"PinballJ, a little educating for you:
A microchip does not contain a "software program". It contains millions of micro sized logic gates that control the flow of electrons (in other words, shifting around bits and bytes of data). The design for a microchip is PATENTED. A patent lasts for 20 years and then can be freely copied even for commercial purposes."
-Thank you for that reply
PinballJim, I've been compiling & changing for personal use my own builds of mame for use on my 4 mame cabs in my basement since the build versions were somewhere in the low .30's So I do know just alittle bit about mame & it's code. I stand by what I said, your confusing the copyright laws and the difference between what is considered software and hardware.
As far as the mod chip's go it would be more accurate to say while it might be considered illegal to buy a modchip in some areas it could never be considered illegal to buy a blank eprom and a epromburner...now what you did with that hardware and what you copied onto it, and uses thereafter is where the legal part comes in.
SavannahLion:
--- Quote from: RayB on September 10, 2007, 11:43:55 pm ---Mod chips are only illegal in the US and a handful of other countries who have lubed up and bent over to US pressure to conform to their laws.
--- End quote ---
Guess I'll have to throw out my PICs and AVRs because they're illegal. Uh Oh! The Immigrations and Customs Enforcement is at my door, hang on while I show them my chips.
The difficulty in extracting the exact legal reasoning lay in the fact the court case isn't being discussed. It's more likely the mod chip err... employees were arrested for distributing illegal ROMS and bypassing security measures on the aforementioned consoles, which are specifically mentioned. The mod chips were more likely swept up as part of the investigation, legal or not. This is the same process as any other search and seizure.
FrizzleFried:
Pinballjim's RIGHT! He's RIGHT DAMNIT!
HE IS RIGHT!
You're right Jim!
Correct.
Uh huh.
On top of it.
The shiz.
YOU, my friend....ARE THE MAN!
Thanks for the insight.
(just agree with him people...)
FrizzleFried:
--- Quote from: pinballjim on September 11, 2007, 10:10:43 am ---
--- Quote from: FrizzleFried on September 11, 2007, 10:05:11 am ---(just agree with him people...)
--- End quote ---
I personally have no problem with MAME or people that use it, but it cracks me up when dorks get all huffy about "that violates the MAME license!!!" or "my software and ROMs are all perfectly legal!!" when they're damn lucky they haven't gotten a court summons.
--- End quote ---
I'm agreeing with you Jim.... you're right man.
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