Is MAME and all its roms now legal? (full set is on Archive.org)

[Alpha]

Just noticed one of the most reputable sites in the world is now hosting the full MAME roms set, including all the CHDs. It's archive.org ("Internet Archive") -- a.k.a. the Internet Encyclopedia. Since when did this happen? Check it out: http://archive.org/details/messmame. Apparently, it's part of their Internet Archive Software Collection: http://archive.org/details/software.

 

Someone please fill me in on how this is possible?! How and when did this start?

 

More info on Archive.org: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Archive

[Hard Core Rikki]

Not, as many are still sold in various digital stores.

 

These additions might've been led by the belief it becomes fair game to share after more than a year passed after the expiration of commercial exploitation on the original machine. Additionally, as the ROMs are essentially the same whenever they have been archived, other than absent ownership controls, whether its archived now or later will make little difference.

[Robert]

The mame licence only specifies that mame cannot be distributed with roms included (i.e., one package). Mame itself has always been legal, emulators are legal.

 

Some countries may find what archive.org are doing to be illegal but there's nothing they can do about it.

 

When did it start? It came to mamedev's attention only about a week ago, but no rules or conditions are being broken.

 

The only question remains is if you yourself have any problem with it. If so, don't go there.

[Alpha]

The mame licence only specifies that mame cannot be distributed with roms included (i.e., one package). Mame itself has always been legal, emulators are legal.

 

Some countries may find what archive.org are doing to be illegal but there's nothing they can do about it.

 

When did it start? It came to mamedev's attention only about a week ago, but no rules or conditions are being broken.

 

The only question remains is if you yourself have any problem with it. If so, don't go there.

 

Hmmm... this is very fascinating. An exploitation of a gray area in U.S. law that we were not aware of? Archive.org is based in the USA.

 

Do you have a link to the MameDev thread?

[Robert]

No it wasn't on any forum.

[Alpha]

No it wasn't on any forum.

 

Oh, then can you say where it was?

[Robert]

On the internal mailing list. And no, I can't elaborate.

[Alpha]

On the internal mailing list. And no, I can't elaborate.

I just e-mailed the uploader from Archive.org to hopefully get some answers. This may change the emulation scene forever if suddenly MAME ROMs and CHDs have been deemed legal by U.S. law. I'll keep you guys updated.

[L.S.D]

 

On the internal mailing list. And no, I can't elaborate.

I just e-mailed the uploader from Archive.org to hopefully get some answers. This may change the emulation scene forever if suddenly MAME ROMs and CHDs have been deemed legal by U.S. law. I'll keep you guys updated.

yeah, have a ROM section again

[Alpha]

 

 

On the internal mailing list. And no, I can't elaborate.

I just e-mailed the uploader from Archive.org to hopefully get some answers. This may change the emulation scene forever if suddenly MAME ROMs and CHDs have been deemed legal by U.S. law. I'll keep you guys updated.

yeah, have a ROM section again

 

Hahaha... well, I am linking to the goodies from archive.org in the original post. I just get the wild feeling they know something we don't about the legalities. Don't forget though, this is only MAME we're talking about here.

[Agozer]

Whatever happens, I'm bookmarking this.

[jimfcarroll]

Well, unfortunately I don't think this makes it legal.

 

According to the Archive.org's terms of use: http://archive.org/about/terms.php

 

The pertinent paragraph being:

Some of the content available through the Archive may be governed by local, national, and/or international laws and regulations, and your use of such content is solely at your own risk. You agree to abide by all applicable laws and regulations, including intellectual property laws, in connection with your use of the Archive. In particular, you certify that your use of any part of the Archive's Collections will be noncommercial and will be limited to noninfringing or fair use under copyright law. In using the Archive's site, Collections, and/or services, you further agree (a) not to violate anyone's rights of privacy, ( not to act in any way that might give rise to civil or criminal liability, © not to use or attempt to use another person's password, (d) not to collect or store personal data about anyone, (e) not to infringe any copyright, trademark, patent, or other proprietary rights of any person, (f) not to transmit or facilitate the transmission of unsolicited email ("spam"), (g) not to harass, threaten, or otherwise annoy anyone, and (h) not to act in any way that might be harmful to minors, including, without limitation, transmitting or facilitating the transmission of child pornography, which is prohibited by federal law and may be reported to the authorities should it be discovered by the Archive.