*Edit* It's freely downloadable from Ian Bell's web site so legality should not be a major issue.
https://archive.org/details/msdos_Elite_1987
https://archive.org/details/msdos_Elite_1987
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Play Elite in your browser!
- Thread starter Cmdr Sharky
- Start date
Mad! But I can't get the keyboard to work... Or Dolby! 
What gfx card will run this ok?
I am rather confused by the legality of archieve.orgs massive DOS game selection.
You got a huge collection of things that seem to be likely still in copyright.
Sure, we know Elite is given freely anyway, but is Disney allowing Manick Mansion to be free now? Is Komni letting the original Metal Gear be free? etc.
Isnt default copyright somewhere between 70 years and the heat death of the universe these days?
You got a huge collection of things that seem to be likely still in copyright.
Sure, we know Elite is given freely anyway, but is Disney allowing Manick Mansion to be free now? Is Komni letting the original Metal Gear be free? etc.
Isnt default copyright somewhere between 70 years and the heat death of the universe these days?
Why download the dos version? Here's the BBC version on a browser!
http://bbc.godbolt.org/?disc=elite.ssd&autoboot
http://bbc.godbolt.org/?disc=elite.ssd&autoboot
These make me feel so dumb cant get past the first screen lol
Current U.S. copyright law states that a work is protected for 75 years after the death of its author.
However, at any time a copyright holder can provide their work under any license they choose, or even release it to the public domain if they so desire.
The notion of "Abandonware" is a way for people who want access to software for which copyright status is in question to justify their use of the software on the grounds that the copyright holder is apparently not interested in defending their rights. Strictly speaking, copying "abandonware" is still illegal.
I haven't looked into what criteria archive.org is using to add software to their database, but I presume that they've done the due diligence of getting clearance for included items.
As regards Maniac Mansion, I believe LucasArts was dissolved prior to Disney's acquisition of Lucas' other properties, and the rights in non-Star Wars LucasArts properties may not have been part of the sale. Several of those games had been licensed to other studios for development, although I'm not sure if anything ever came of those agreements, and those licenses remain in force, much like 20th Century Fox's rights to the original films.
The presence of freely-available versions of Elite from Bell's website implies that the software's presence on archive.org is sanctioned. It's not unheard of for a publisher to be forced to crack their own software as a result of losing access to the source code, or simply being too lazy to remove copy protection themselves when the pirate community has graciously already done that work.
However, at any time a copyright holder can provide their work under any license they choose, or even release it to the public domain if they so desire.
The notion of "Abandonware" is a way for people who want access to software for which copyright status is in question to justify their use of the software on the grounds that the copyright holder is apparently not interested in defending their rights. Strictly speaking, copying "abandonware" is still illegal.
I haven't looked into what criteria archive.org is using to add software to their database, but I presume that they've done the due diligence of getting clearance for included items.
As regards Maniac Mansion, I believe LucasArts was dissolved prior to Disney's acquisition of Lucas' other properties, and the rights in non-Star Wars LucasArts properties may not have been part of the sale. Several of those games had been licensed to other studios for development, although I'm not sure if anything ever came of those agreements, and those licenses remain in force, much like 20th Century Fox's rights to the original films.
The presence of freely-available versions of Elite from Bell's website implies that the software's presence on archive.org is sanctioned. It's not unheard of for a publisher to be forced to crack their own software as a result of losing access to the source code, or simply being too lazy to remove copy protection themselves when the pirate community has graciously already done that work.
Nope, looks like I'm wrong about that. LucasArts was shuttered after the merger.
Further research into Archive.org reveals that the material stored there is intended for research and other fair use purposes. Copyright holders can request inclusion or removal of their property by contacting the Archive by email. I looked at entries for a few games, but I didn't see anything in any of them about licensing or copyright waivers.
Ah, thanks for investigation.
I guess they are just doing what they can get away with. Not sure it will work though - while sites like YouTube and such are under safer harbour by offering takedowns, I still think there would be complaints if google themselves assumed they could host anything untill asked not too.
After all, they tried doing that with merely the subset of books without identifiable authors and still (somehow) got sued over it.
I guess they are just doing what they can get away with. Not sure it will work though - while sites like YouTube and such are under safer harbour by offering takedowns, I still think there would be complaints if google themselves assumed they could host anything untill asked not too.
After all, they tried doing that with merely the subset of books without identifiable authors and still (somehow) got sued over it.
Doubt it, they already removed some games again which are still sold, like Cannonfodder 2 and Ultima
They have a specific technology that works in a browser, that lets them put up a large number of emulated retro games. That technology is DOSBox. "The proper version" would require loads of different emulators - how many retro emulators will run in a browser? I know there's a browser based Spectrum emulator, but is there a Beeb one? That runs Elite? Oh, wait, yes there is!