Is It Legal To Own Roms Of Games You Already Own..


*Ownership* is not in question.

Its how you *obtain* it is the question. IF you own an arcade machine, you have the right to the ROM. But no one has the right to copy it to you, as they don't have distribution rights.

jeff
 
If you have a backup device and can copy YOUR OWN games, then maybe you are entitled to have it for backup purposes. Downloading someone elses copy is not the same thing.
 
actually I think owning any kind of ROM is illegal, no game-making-company ever said it was legal...
 
Nah, I'm fairly certain there's a right somewhere about being able to make backups for personal use. Like people say, though, its almost certainly making them only, not getting hold of someone else's because you couldn't... which is a shame, but there we go.
 
jcbnetwork posted on May 3 2004 at 02:56 AM said:
If you have a backup device and can copy YOUR OWN games, then maybe you are entitled to have it for backup purposes. Downloading someone elses copy is not the same thing.
He's right. No it is not legal. To legally own a backup copy you must also own the copy hardware and to make yourself the copy.
 
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Ok, then how did bung get that lawsuit for making systems to create backups? That's like saying yeah, you can make yourself backups but you also have to make your own copier and create a program to extract it. pretty harsh. Then if you do that they'll try and sue you into the ground.
Today's laws are all snapping under the pressure of the internet, so we'll have to wait and see.
 
sam fisher posted on May 2 2004 at 05:18 PM said:
Is it.
Thanks in advance.
No. No you are not. It is illegal.

It is legal to have an ARCHIVIAL copy of a game you own, however it is NOT legal to use that copy for anything other than archivial purposes. Such as distributing it, PLAYING it, or any other such actions. If you use it for any other purposes than an archivial backup, such as playing it, then it no longer becomes an archivial backup, and it becomes an illegal copy.

The only way you can legally play a backup of a game you own, is if you are still in possesion of an original copy of the game and it is in an unplayable condition.

This doesnt stop most of us though, most of us use common sense and have a decent moral code, if we own the game, we should be able to make a digital copy to play on an alternate platform of our choice. The law doesnt agree, but todate I have never heard of a single person who got "busted" for having a rom of a game they owned. (as long as they were not distributing it)

Note also, that even if you own the original game, and you have a MODIFIED rom, as in, a trainer, or an intro inserted by the "release crew", then it is illegal regardless.
 
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Hooka posted on May 3 2004 at 07:38 AM said:
Ok, then how did bung get that lawsuit for making systems to create backups? That's like saying yeah, you can make yourself backups but you also have to make your own copier and create a program to extract it. pretty harsh. Then if you do that they'll try and sue you into the ground.
Today's laws are all snapping under the pressure of the internet, so we'll have to wait and see.
Reverse engineering is authorized, modifying hardware and buying or building a backup unit is legal too. I can't see the issue. Do you have any link about this lawsuit? I am quite interested in these things.
 
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Akuma no Houkon posted on May 3 2004 at 08:38 AM said:
It is legal to have an ARCHIVIAL copy of a game you own, however it is NOT legal to use that copy for anything other than archivial purposes. Such as distributing it, PLAYING it, or any other such actions. If you use it for any other purposes than an archivial backup, such as playing it, then it no longer becomes an archivial backup, and it becomes an illegal copy.
Nope, you can play with the rom just like you can listen to a copy of a CD. There are some interoperability laws. It's just like ripping a DVD to play it with Linux. Linux cannot natively play DVDs but if you rip it, you can watch it on Linux.
 
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damaki posted on May 3 2004 at 12:49 AM said:
Akuma no Houkon posted on May 3 2004 at 08:38 AM said:
It is legal to have an ARCHIVIAL copy of a game you own, however it is NOT legal to use that copy for anything other than archivial purposes. Such as distributing it, PLAYING it, or any other such actions. If you use it for any other purposes than an archivial backup, such as playing it, then it no longer becomes an archivial backup, and it becomes an illegal copy.
Nope, you can play with the rom just like you can listen to a copy of a CD. There are some interoperability laws. It's just like ripping a DVD to play it with Linux. Linux cannot natively play DVDs but if you rip it, you can watch it on Linux.

Your're half wrong about Linux. First, Linux can play them just like windows, except there are no finished DVD software programs for Linux. There are a few in the works, opendvd.org had a program that played dvd's and so did a few other sites I cant remember. There are not many linux players out there, for the simple reason that DVD really isnt an open format, its a controled format so there are semi legal issues arround decoding and playing them without the proper licence.

And yes, that is the law. Just read arround, you are legally allowed to have an archivial backup of any software you own. Without question. When you use it for a purpose other than an archivial backup, it no longer becomes an archivial backup and becomes an illegal copy. (this right here is the VERY issue that nintendo is trying to press)

Regardless of what you have heard, or what you think, or any such

Music CD's and Movies fall under a compeltly different catagory, they are media not software. Different laws apply. (although the menus and whatnot inside a DVD movie might fall under the software catagory...)

Thats like that bogus rumor about it being legal to download a game you dont own if you delete it within 24 hours. hahah. The most misunderstood aspect on the internet today is software piracy. Because of all the thousands of conflicting stories.

But again, you probably dont want to hear that, so you will ignore my post, selective hearing, listen to only the posts that agree with what you want to hear, dont ask a question if you dont want the answer.

Remeber one thing though, ignorance of a law, doesnt make you innocent. If you dont know the truth or choose not to listen, then thats your choice.

Although, as I said, no one I have ever heard of, to date, has been fined for having a rom of a game they own. So its one of those illegal issues that dont really get looked into and no one (except nintendo) really cares about.
 
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There are also some laws about deprecated hardware. If hardware cannot be buyed (brand new hardware not already used) or repaired you can use the software on other hardware. For instance (it's a personal example) my saturn doesn't work anymore, I own many games. I cannot get it repaired as Sega doesn't exist anymore. Then the only way to play my games (which I own too) is to use them on another system.
Another example, more backup related. I own many playstation games, playstation CDs are known to be fragile with the black thing that is on it. I made a backup. My original game CD does not work any more. Cannot I use my backup copy on my playstation? Yes of course.
So many international laws or national laws about copyright. I don't even speak about (I don't know the english translation) "jurisprudences"...
 
Another example, more backup related. I own many playstation games, playstation CDs are known to be fragile with the black thing that is on it. I made a backup. My original game CD does not work any more. Cannot I use my backup copy on my playstation? Yes of course.
So many international laws or national laws about copyright. I don't even speak about (I don't know the english translation) "jurisprudences"...

Didnt you read when I said:
The only way you can legally play a backup of a game you own, is if you are still in possesion of an original copy of the game and it is in an unplayable condition.


damaki posted on May 3 2004 at 01:09 AM said:
There are also some laws about deprecated hardware. If hardware cannot be buyed (brand new hardware not already used) or repaired you can use the software on other hardware. For instance (it's a personal example) my saturn doesn't work anymore, I own many games. I cannot get it repaired as Sega doesn't exist anymore. Then the only way to play my games (which I own too) is to use them on another system.

In certain select cases, that would more than likely fall under the "unplayable condition" catagory. The concept being, that if you have a backup, and you play it, someone could theoreticially play your original still. If the game is in an unplayable condition, this could not be the case, thus the archivial backup will become your "play copy", replacing your now "broken" original (thus the entire reason for an archivial backup!). I dont know what the law says specifically if you have busted hardware that is no longer supported. But I doubt, even with a jury full of nintendo employees, that you would get a fine for such an action.

On a side note, Sega DOES still exist (just not their hardware section), and there are many unofficial places that will repair it for you, it doesnt have to be Sega repaired. I know many electronic shops that will repair old out of date hardware.
 
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One of my mario games doesn't work.
Does that entitle me to play an archival copy?
What do you need to copy nes games to archival copys.
How can you do it if it is supposedly not legal?
 
sam fisher posted on May 3 2004 at 01:46 AM said:
One of my mario games doesn't work.
Does that entitle me to play an archival copy?
What do you need to copy nes games to archival copys.
How can you do it if it is supposedly not legal?
It IS legal to make a copy of your game Of any software for that matter, regardless of what the companies like to say in their licence agreement. The law allows for you to create one achivial backup copy of any software you own.
 
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i dont understand these people who give a shit about such laws. i own like 20 mega drive games.....does that mean im limited to these? fuck no i'll download the whole rom set plus all the snes games while im at it.
 
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