Are there flaws in copyrights?

[dem00n]

Abadonware is a popular way to get free "old" video games, but the biggest problem that persists in the world of Abandonware is original copyright owners demand them being taken down from the access of the public. Though the revenue from these games is literally at 0%, if no printed/downloadable copies exist for said revenue to be paid, why do they persist?

The same thing can be argued for music and books. If i pick up some obscure Thrash metal band from the 80's that only released one LP and never had any sort of reissue, why shouldn't it just be free for the public? Well, original copyright owners might have future plans for it, it might get reissued and sell a tons copies, which oddly can happen for obscure metal bands with reissues. (Stormspell records)

If the copyright owners have no plans or interest in said product, than the point?

A. They're dead.

B. They simply have forgotten they own such rights, perhaps the rights of which they own in this case are being protected for no reason.

C. They have future plans. Waiting for the nostalgia boom to take place for these old video games, then relaunch them in new hardware systems for the price of new games.


I know this is a pointless topic, but i can't seem to fathom why non cared for copyrights still exist when there is no future plan.
Why protect Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds?

Now tear it apart.

[B3ND3R]

Watch the web series "Everything Is A Remix" for a good explanation.

http://everythingisaremix.info/watch-the-series/

TLDR: The original point of copyright law, which was to afford author limited protection in order to benefit from authorship and then advance the promotion and proliferation of the idea, has been eclipsed by the law itself — which is now what is being protected.

It won't change anytime soon because big copyright holders (E.g., Disney) can afford to bend the law to suit their interests, which are not the same as the interests of the consumer, or the provider (E.g., Google) or in many cases even the author.

PS. Video games and software never should have been subject to US Copyright — they should have been subject to patent. But that ship has also sailed.

-Dwight, who teaches copyright law at the collegiate level.

[n2oinferno]

Yes

/thread