Owning GBA ROMS is illegal even if you own the game.
Even if you own the ROM, GBA emulation is illegal.
The 24 hour rule is fake as well. Only an internet rumor. (I know that you knew this but felt it was a valid point to mention)
The only software that is legal to own as backup is that which was/is originally stored on a floppy disk (either size) because there was a big chance of data becoming corrupt or lost.
Backup or archival copies of your games stored on a cart, CD, or optical disk are not legalized because they have hardly any chance of being damaged beyond repair.
So all in all, the emulation of any system is illigal unless the system's software was originally distributed on floppies.
One more thing
Don't you have a life better then posting this in a messege board? By saying this are you trying to tell Nick to stop working on PBA? If you are your a stupid @#%$ since it was almost canceled. I bet you own illegal roms of everything that has to due with Mario.
So please shut up.
MCSkelo Registered User
Posts: 10
(6/14/01 7:25 pm) Reply
Re: Owning GBA ROMS is illegal even if you own the game.
TML...stop reading Nintendo.com's PR FAQ section and spreading it around...of course Nintendo is going to say that type of @#%$...don't go around acting like you know something everyone else doesn't...just shut up, idiot.
Wow, Did I hit a nerve?
I wasnt' reading it off of Nintendo's P.R. faq. I happen to study law.
The main reason for PBA is game development on the GBA. I for one am planning on using PBA for development of my own games, not playing other peoples games. I just wanted to point out to the NoahFex that although he claims what he does with his ROMS is legal, it's not.
You could show me a little respect. I have some for you guys. This is a forum where you are free to excercize your freedom of speech. I am entitled to having my opinion and stating it. However, I was stating fact, which cannot get me in trouble even if it offends you. Respect what others have to say and you'll be respected a lot as well.
SO KISS MY ASS, you stupid "idiot".
MCSkelo Registered User
Posts: 11
(6/14/01 10:42 pm) Reply
Re: Owning GBA ROMS is illegal even if you own the game.
So...under your interpretation of 'the law'...it would be legal to backup my Famicom Disk System games, right? They seem to be floppy disks, to me...my data could be lost...but according to Nintendo...*ANY* of their works are illegal in ROM form...I believe something similar was put to use with the 64DD...but I'm not sure of the media used in relation to that add-on for the N64...but I know the first one was...the games for the Famicom Disk System play the same as their NES/Famicom counterparts...so who's to say *my* ROM isn't from one of those disks? I'm sure there is a way to tell...but this is just for sake of argument...and to keep these boards active while we have people coming back to read the stuff. Looking forward to your prompt (and sure to be insightful) rebuttal...
Re: Owning GBA ROMS is illegal even if you own the game.
Read up on that law of yours some more.
My lawyer happens to be the same on on the Apple vs. M$ case, As well as two Nintendo suits against major ROM sites. He has explained the legalities to me and I won't be pushed over by some dumbass who thinks he knows everything about the subject.
I don't understand
This is what I know about The law.
In page 32 of Mario Paper (tm) instruction booklet,
-"Warning: Copying of any Nintendo game is illegal and it's stricly prohibited by domestic and international copyright laws."
We are not copying any roms, only downloading them.
-" "Back-up" or "archival" copies are not authorized and are not necessary to protect your software. Violators will be prosecuted."
This is a trick. Do they mean that copies to protect your software are not autorized and not necessary or copies are not autorized and copies are not necessary?
That's it about the warning section.
Can someone give us some parts about the copyright laws?
-MST2000
MacMan17 Registered User
Posts: 9
(6/15/01 12:40 pm) Reply
Re: Owning GBA ROMS is illegal even if you own the game.
I read through articles in Nintendo Power once and a while, and I came across an anteresting article about this subject. If it weren't for the copyright laws in the beginning of the magazine, I'd post it here (it would settle this whole argument). Basically, Nintendo says that owning any ROM that runs on an emulator is illegal. They go through many specific details in the article, too, but since I don't have written concent from Nintendo to post it, go buy Nintendo Power's volume 145 magazine. Look in the Player's Pulse section. I believe it's the newest copy of Nintendo Power, it is bright yellow with a large picture of Mario on it.
Re: Owning GBA ROMS is illegal even if you own the game.
I use PlayBoy for working on my sidescroller racing game (it sucks BTW ), because if you wanted good illegal games, grab Virtural Game Station and the mod krack. I use my GBA (bought it at EB) for playing games on the road and my iMac and 64 for playing games at home....
...And I do NOT reccomend getting commercial roms for any systems. It's so illegal. Personally, I seriously doubt anything will happen (pats cd burner as he's talking) but theres always the risk. The fine you'll get is probablly going to be more expensive than a new GBA and a couple of games... if you're lucky.
So, for your own sake, stay away from the ROM HL servers.
Re: Owning GBA ROMS is illegal even if you own the game.
Also I bought Tony Hawk 2 for GBA but I do not OWN the game, I own the LICENSE for the game, as stated in the software license agreement:
Quote: This program is licensed, not sold. Your license confers no title or ownership in this Program and should not be construed as a sale of any rights in thie Program. OWNERSHIP All title, ownership rights and intellectual property rights in and to this program and any copies therof ... are owned by Activision or its licensors.
Meaning... if we make a copy (ROM), it is owned by Activison... and we have not purchased the license to use the copy, meaning we are in violation of copyright laws. If you go to EB and buy a copy, we have a single-use license meaning we can use only the game, or only the rom. As soon as the cartridge is booted for the first time, we are no longer allowed to use the rom unless another license is purchased.
This also means that an Activision enforcer can walk up to me when I'm playing my Tony 2 at school and take the cart out of the GameBoy advance and walk away with it, since his company owns the game, not me. But then it is legal for me to download the rom.
kaldare
Unregistered User
(7/10/01 12:50 pm) Reply
bullsh*t
"This program is licensed, not sold. Your license confers no title or ownership in this Program and should not be construed as a sale of any rights in thie Program. OWNERSHIP All title, ownership rights and intellectual property rights in and to this program and any copies therof ... are owned by Activision or its licensors."
Your're naive. And stupid too.
The "Licensed" shame is bullsh*t and MEANS NOTHING. They use it to attempt to deny you of your rights to a backup. They can't legally do that. No matter WHAT they say, they DON'T make the rules.
That floppy disk thing is bullsh*t too. You have the right to backup ANY media you own the license to. AND you're allowed to keep that backup for as long as you have the license to the media. END OF STORY. Unless a new law is passed taht says otherwise, whatever Nintendo, Sony, Activision, or any othe game company says is BULLSH*T!
Also, Rom Sites are quite illegal. And the "24 hour" thing is quite false.
In closing, emulators are quite leagal. Roms ARE LEGAL...as backups only, ROM sites are illegal, and distributing roms is illegal.
lil jebediah
Unregistered User
(7/30/01 9:19 pm) Reply
guess what? who cares.
SO WHAT!!!!!!!!!
Even if it is illegal, why the hell did you post a topic about it? It doesn't matter to anyone but you and your stupid friends that want to argue mindlessly about these stupid things. If someone wants to break the law, the're going to, and posting a topic on it is not going to stop them. If you think that it makes you seem smart to post these things or if you feel like a good semaritan when you waste your time like this, if someone owned the game, why would they want it on their computer. I'm wasting my time. On another note, get a life.
MastaMcel
Unregistered User
(8/1/01 8:17 am) Reply
@#%$ you @#%$
you motherfucking idiot @#%$ your @#%$ games in your motherfucking ass and make your own games with your motherfucking mother but @#%$ you out of this forum
emulation
Is copying a game any worse than taping a record,(shows my age) or tape?
Is copying a game any worse than photocopying from a book?
Is copying a game any worse than buying or selling software at a tag sale, on line auction or other USED market?
Sure, laws exist, Jay-walking, spitting on the sidewalk...all sorts of laws...is it possible or reasonable to enforce these laws? As for Nintendo and others...I think we've all spent lots of money on their products over the years...buying a stupid gameboy cart for 30-40 dollars is such a rip-off that I wonder why THAT's not illegal.
blahh
Bah, I saw this topic and couldn't resist =D
AFAIK, you may rip the ROM from anything that you own (like carts and CDs and such) for your own uses. You really have to grab the image off the cart -- or CD or tape or whatever -- yourself so that you definitely have the correct image (one you get off of some lamer's website may be different in some way). And, of course that twenty-four-hour 'rule' is complete bullshit..
Emulators aren't illegal at all, generally speaking, as they don't contain any copyrighted code. Of course if someone were to distribute an image of the machine's BIOS, containing copyrighted code, it would be illegal to download, then. I suppose you could just grab the BIOS yourself and use it, but you can't run around downloading them from other people like there's no tomorrow ;)
Of course I would be happy to hear if someone has any substantiated evidence that goes against the afforementioned (such as court rulings). But really, don't just make up stuff that isn't even plausible in the least.
I would like to also point out (I may have already said this but...here it is again) that many development kits from companies such as Sega, Nintendo, SNK etc. require you to sign a contract stating what you can and cannot do with the docs. If you don't sign this and you have any piece of the dev kit, then you are breaking the law, if you have signed it and you go outside the guidelines of the agreement, then you are breaking the law. Nintendo prohibits the use of their dev kit in any manner not directly related to the development of games. This means no emulators, no using the dev kit to learn how it works then make a new handheld system that has everything the GBA does but with _more_. I didn't use this devkit for the development of the emulator, other emulators such as VGBA, Boycott Advance, DreamGBA, iGBA, and GBAEmu are written with technical documentation from Nintendo's development kits. PlayBoy Advance, and Mappy Virtual Machine are two that do not use the docs, EloGBA and PC Advance I am unsure about. VisualBoyAdvance I believe used the docs because of the rapid rate of development.
popthelid Registered User
Posts: 1
(8/5/01 4:33 pm) Reply
Who @#%$ Cares?
Your never going to get caught Hey Nintendo people i got fucken ilegal roms so come and bust me
You can never fucken catch me yo TheMariofag learn how to spell
Re: Owning GBA ROMS is illegal even if you own the game.
My Father is a solicitor specialising in the games/entertainment industry...................believe me you are wrong.........check your facts out with a reliable source (NOT THE INTERNET) and you will see I'm right. i gaurentee this.
theguythatkilledyourmother
Unregistered User
(8/8/01 3:54 am) Reply
hahahahahahahah
ha ha ha ha thats stupid who gives a @#%$ i mean you cant get caught unless the government hacks into your pc or something! and i bet your dad is a fuckin gas station clerk and you probably never got thru second grade a solicitor is someone who solicits something like you can get arrested for soliciting to prostitution because they cant tax it or whatever and doors have signs that say no solicitors dumbass.
Looking forward to your prompt (and sure to be insightful) rebuttal...
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