Re: [OT] Is it illegal to use orphanware?

["dayalan manohar" <manohar@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I have been wondering about the same.I found that it is possible to buy
stuff like original copies of MS-DOS,old Commodore 64 games etc from
ebay.com i.e. provided you can pay $$$.Would it be legal then?
regards,
dayalan manohar
----- Original Message -----
From: "Biju Chacko" <biju_chacko@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <linux-india-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, September 29, 2000 5:32 PM
Subject: [LIG] [OT] Is it illegal to use orphanware?


> Hi y'all,
>
> I am interested in antique software. I came across some interesting old
> software produced by a company that got gobbled up in M&A spree of the
> early/mid nineties.
>
> The purchaser discontinued the product and probably has no revenue from
the
> product.
>
> I came across an installation kit for the software on the website of a fan
> of the product. I am now wondering whether it is illegal for me to
download
> the software and try it out.
>
> The question is pretty academic because nobody is going to prosecute me. I
> was just wondering what the legal aspects of using software like this
> without paying for it.
>
> This also affects the hundreds of job-typing centres that use WordStar on
DOS.
>
> regards,
>
> Biju
>
>
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