Viewing Thread:
"Is using ROMS a crime?"

With most of the old lengendary consoles getting rare to find in stores such as SNES, Mega Drive, ect, the only way to play the games for them is to get the ROM. The regulations of using ROMS is that you must delete the file after 24 hours if you do not own the origanal game, but whats the point? Nobody's going to arrest you or even find out, so why is it still a crime?? Lets here your views...

If you own the original game it's technically legal, for the same reason that making MP3's of CDs you own is legal, they count as "backups".

It's definitely illegal in America; even abandonware sites - sites that specialise in supporting software over 4 years old and "abandoned" by the programmers - admit it.

Details: http://www.abandonwarering.com/?Page=FAQ

I got it!

See I told you all that there is no rule!

ALL ROMS ARE ILLEGAL!

FULL STOP!

* * * * * *

What about this 24 hour rule?

You must delete the game from your hard drive within 24 hours of download unless you own the actual game...

This is a hoax to justify copyright violations on the Internet. This myth continues to circulate on the Internet on various sites distributing pirated software. There is no such law that enforces this rule

Adamario wrote:
> The regulations of using ROMS is that you
> must delete the file after 24 hours if you do not own the origanal
> game.

That's wrong!

Although every ROM site says that, I read somewhere that it has actually never been stated as a law.

All ROMS are illegal, you are basically just copying games...

If I was to copy a CD for myself I would be breaking the law by copying it, I wouldn't be allowed to keep it just because I had the original game!

Same thing with borrowing a copied game, you don't have 24 hours to play it do you? It's just a big lie...

If its legal to have them, why do so many sites get shut down for distributing them and stating that ~law~?

Because you can say you bought the CD, downloaded the music from it, changed the format to save space, and lost the CD

If you're *really* worried about getting caught (whcih you shouldn't really be) then just download them and burn them to a CD. After the 24 hours delete the file on your computer and stash the CD somewhere safe.

Mind you there, the 24 hour policy is true for MP3's as well and look at how many people obey that law. None. Just do it and stop worrying.

I can't remember - was quite a while ago printed in NOM.

but when was this?

Adamario wrote:
> With most of the old lengendary consoles getting rare to find in
> stores such as SNES, Mega Drive, ect, the only way to play the games
> for them is to get the ROM. The regulations of using ROMS is that you
> must delete the file after 24 hours if you do not own the origanal
> game, but whats the point? Nobody's going to arrest you or even find
> out, so why is it still a crime?? Lets here your views...

Ask the kid who got fined $250,000 in America for having roms of SNES, NES, GB and N64 games on his PC...

It's just how he spells it.

I knoe