OpenTTD package with datafiles

[spock]

I'm not a lawyer, so I would like to ask something to people here with more experience in licensing etc. I'm sorry if my view is a little bit too simplistic

Why aren't there any packages that include the TTD datafiles? TTD is available from many abandonware sites, so I guess it's legal to redistribute the game and datafiles? So why don't you guys include them?

[Brianetta]

Because it isn't legal to distribute them. That's something "abandonware" sites have wrong.

[WWW]

it's not legal, but all the powers that be just don't care about policing a 12 year old game which no one can buy and play, so they let it slide.

[PikkaBird]

Because it isn't legal to distribute them. That's something "abandonware" sites have wrong.

I've never seen an abandonware site that claims it is legal to distribute old games (except in cases where they have explicit permission, which is more and more common these days).

[Brianetta]

Because it isn't legal to distribute them. That's something "abandonware" sites have wrong.

I've never seen an abandonware site that claims it is legal to distribute old games (except in cases where they have explicit permission, which is more and more common these days).

Then I shall rephrase. It's an impression that abandonware site users are mistakenly drawing.

[spock]

All right, thanks, I get that..

So there probably won't ever be OpenTTD packages with the datafiles included?

Or is there anyone that repackages OpenTTD with the datafiles?

[brupje]

All right, thanks, I get that..

So there probably won't ever be OpenTTD packages with the datafiles included?

Or is there anyone that repackages OpenTTD with the datafiles?

When all graphics are replaced, if ever, by free versions there is no reason not to distribute them.

[MagicBuzz]

Because it isn't legal to distribute them. That's something "abandonware" sites have wrong.

You can still download it following these links :
Wiki pedia : French article about TTD > "French TTD official site" > "downloads" section ("téléchargement")

France don't have a legal status about abandonware.
This mean it isn't legal to distribute it, but as noone can complain about it, it isn't illegal. There is just a hole in the french rights.
I think it's about the same for most occidental countries, as most of the occidental countries just use the same laws as France (ie. international rights is exactely a copy of french laws)

[paddoswam]

Because it isn't legal to distribute them. That's something "abandonware" sites have wrong.

You can still download it following these links :
Wiki pedia : French article about TTD > "French TTD official site" > "downloads" section ("téléchargement")

France don't have a legal status about abandonware.
This mean it isn't legal to distribute it, but as noone can complain about it, it isn't illegal. There is just a hole in the french rights.
I think it's about the same for most occidental countries, as most of the occidental countries just use the same laws as France (ie. international rights is exactely a copy of french laws)

And yet a lot of french "abandonware" sites go down there.. but I don't think that the copyright holder of TTD is minding us recreating their work after 12 years.

[Brianetta]

It's not that they don't care, it's that there's no money to be made or saved stopping it. Dont think that they won't start to enforce their rights if they see profit being made by somebody else. (-:

[brupje]

Because it isn't legal to distribute them. That's something "abandonware" sites have wrong.

You can still download it following these links :
Wiki pedia : French article about TTD > "French TTD official site" > "downloads" section ("téléchargement")

France don't have a legal status about abandonware.
This mean it isn't legal to distribute it, but as noone can complain about it, it isn't illegal. There is just a hole in the french rights.
I think it's about the same for most occidental countries, as most of the occidental countries just use the same laws as France)

chris sawyer holds the copyright to TTD, I believe he has 75 years to make money of it. Therefore TTD cannot be abandonware yet.

(ie. international rights is exactely a copy of french laws)

somehow I think it's the other way around

[Brianetta]

chris sawyer holds the copyright to TTD, I believe he has 75 years to make money of it. Therefore TTD cannot be abandonware yet.

No, he does not. The copyright is owned by a publisher; it's just not 100% clear which one. It's probably Atari, who inherited Microprose' catalogue. Unfortunately, it's not worth their while at this point even to check, so they don't. Even though they've been asked.

[MagicBuzz]

chris sawyer holds the copyright to TTD, I believe he has 75 years to make money of it. Therefore TTD cannot be abandonware yet.

i'm not sure about it.
chris sawyer made TTD under licence with microprose.
microprose should be the exclusive owner of TTD.
and a company property isn't as long as individual one.

[MagicBuzz]

(ie. international rights is exactely a copy of french laws)

somehow I think it's the other way around

no it isn't.
software rights in france is just the same as intellectual property right. there is no specific laws about softwares.
intellectual property right just exists in france since 200 or 300 years and not any line changed since many years.

international rights is... 10 or 20 years old ?

ps: and same laws apply for arts, literacy, music and softwares.

[richk67]

Usual wikipediaaccuracy warnings, but:

"Under Art. 55 of the Constitution of 1958, a ratified treaty is superior to French domestic law. Hence the conflict of laws provisions of the Berne Convention will be used in determining the applicability of the French Code de la propriété intellectuelle."

So the Berne international convention takes precedence over French national law on copyright.

Very interesting reading the links about the DADSVI law. Seems peer-to-peer copying of copyright material (ie. TTD) is felony counterfeiting with a penalty of 3 years in prison... see you in 2010