LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Abandonware
built 657 days ago
Abandonware is a designation given to software that developers no longer support or sell. Old arcade and console games generally are labeled as abandonware, as are old computer games and outdated applications. Abandonware should not be confused with freeware, which the authors or owners intended to be free from the outset, nor should it be confused with shareware, which is created to make a profit. Abandonware is commercial software that once sold for a price and is no longer available.
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The concept of Abandonware is in keeping with the original intent of copyright law, which was that after 28 years the copyrighted material would enter the public domain. That worked just fine until Mickey Mouse came along; now the copyright law is regularly revised so that the Mouse never enters the public domain.
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Enforcing Copyrights on Abandonware is done for one reason only: control. Why would a company want to keep users from having access to old versions of software? So the users have to buy the new versions!
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Abandonware is nice, lets just agree on that. Remember when this games was new they were great games and modern games. That they are old now does not change the fact that they have been very good before. So do not put all abandonware down. If you have troble playing the games, get an emulator so that you can play them, its very easy. Ok, the graphics are not good on abandonware games, but think about Starcraft, the graphics is not good at all, (it was good for its time), but Starcraft can be remembered as the greatest game ever made.
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Abandonware programs are frequently from companies that have gone out of business, programs which are no longer under development, or from individuals who have stopped distributing them. They are often only available by searching for them on the internet. This is a grey area in the concept of piracy, much as REAL discarded items are considered legally in the public domain.
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Abandonware is such a tough topic. One hates to see some of these classic games languish in limbo, forever denying others the chance to play them. Perhaps some enterpsiting group should purchase the rights to ditribute these no longer supported games from these companies. Not the intellectual properties themselves, just the old no longer supported or sold games. Seems that would be easiest.
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Abandonware