[plug] OT Old submarine game

[The Thought Assassin]

On Thu, 7 Jun 2001, Steve Vertigan wrote:
> Mark Nold wrote:
> > How are things classified as abandonware? Has SSI said "This is now
> > abandonware and free for all"? Or is it more of a community thing: "I
> > can't buy this any longer, therefore its been abandoned".
> There's a myth among warez distributors that software becomes
> 'abandonware' after 7 years,

I've never hear the myth, but it's certainly not factual.

> however the US Patents office has clarified that software patents are
> valid for 50 years like all other patents (I *think* it's 50).

It's much less than that there and here, I believe.

Regardless, the abandonware issue is about copyright, which lasts longer.

> That said if a company is no longer selling or deriving income from a
> program it's unlikely they'd bother to prosecute you for distributing it
> illegally, just be warned 'abandonware' isn't a valid legal status.

Spot on.

-Greg