Abandonwarez: the pros outweigh the cons
First posted on 24 July 2000. Last updated on 10 September 2013.
When a person creates something, whether that creation is a building, a novel, a poem, a song, or a film, that person is doing so for 2 reasons. First, that person is satisfying a personal desire to create. It is not possible to point out exactly what it is that drives creation, but if you ask someone who creates the answer you probably receive is that it is somewhat like an itch that demands to…
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By robert orser • On 28 May 2002 • From lethbridge alberta canada
Space Quest.... Damn, that brings me back, and yeah I agree with your argument, but because of those big corporations, their legal rights which most of them persue diligantly and their technology which may be a lot superior to the specs that are released, you'd have to be bloody crazy to host or store them gems.
I mean, good luck with the slammer, bay-be....
Such tripe! Not of earth-shattering significance, like say, Donald Duck, or even Porky Pig.
I think its about time to approach the library of congress with an appeal to the preservation of games. we have now come to a point in history where game experiences are as memorable and inspiring as some classic novels. myst?
final fantasy tactics? silent hill is as thought provoking for me as lovecraft. ultima. how many are there in a glimpse yet even a collection of avid preservationists will lose against market forces and they're stubborn hold on ideas being a value some day, therefore something to defend till the idea itself is dead.. how many companies defending the right to their games have the original code any ways? the visual code base for babylon 5 was lost and only recovered because some gamers thought to recreat that universe. the only non-threatening way for us to preserve these games will to bring the library of congress into play. they now understand the value of saving the voice recording of aluets made on early wax rolls, why not help to restore the history of gaming witch will promise to be the next venue for a literary revolution,preserve the dreams and roles of a generation.
Great article! I purchase & collect and or evaluate old educational software (Games); as they are getting hard to find or come by. I think old games/software should be preserved & be free. I found the link to your article at wikipedia. If I may use your article at our next local teacher's training conference. I usually give a small segment on educational software in the classroom/school. Thanks from ( I Like Old Macs) - :)
Oh and replace the "so" at the last sentence of mines with "as." Heheh. *poof* (gone without a trace)
Mm. such an old article, yet a lovely message.
That reminds me, "copyrighting" things. Very very sad thing. I'm certain the creators would want things for free, but have to cloak in society with all the "money" and such. As in having to "follow rules." And because of that, they take advantage of these rules by going for something they want and trying to "earn money" that way. I see no problem in that. While being in such a world with it's misguided people and reformed people, having such old gaming is a good thing. Well what I'm trying to get at here is that it should be the choice of the creators and not the company to decide such old lost things. I'm certain they'll say "yes" to having it as freeware. But h*ll, it's not gonna hurt to have such lost things as freeware anyways. New games for each generation should keep it's price tag on until it's not necessary. As such for old games, it's not necessary..
As for the feeling of play, the intentions of the creators in games....yes, the classics...even though I never get to play with them much since I was born in the late 80s...it's always nice to touch the series you wanted to touch while living in such a cruel society...thus while all Nature is blocked...while such sadistic thoughts try to attack...LET'S GO GAMING AND KICK A$$. Even though it's all technology based and such, but hey, it's used with a positive intention which is like a dbl-edge sword. But hey, that won't stop us from healing. I games that I feel are ethical...theres inspiration of spirituality too...the intentions of wanting to bring positive....I only feel it in these oldies...the new stuff is alright but there's a certain morality being blocked away. The moral of optimism. I feel that once abandonwarez is restored...ignorant people will not get so pessimistic about graphics. There IS nothing bad about different shapes and sizes. Or the movements of 16-bit or 64-bit. Only we will make it bad to ourselves. Pessimistic "aesthetics" is a problem...and abandonwarez...should whack those who are ignorant about what truth is.
Excuse my ranting. But it felt good. I want people to read this...so the sadism of getting all worked up about "appearances" will be gone.
What about scanning the DOCUMENTATION?
A lot of the old docs (such as for games) were incredibly and elaborately produced. And they were actually educational!
Just read this and I agree wholeheartedly. Computer games MUST be treated differently to other forms of entertainment. Any 12 year old can read a 25 year old book, watch a 25 year old film or listen to a 25 year old album and not even know it is 25 years old (thus its value is preserved) but a 25 year old computer game is going to be laughable to these people, but not to us.
If the copyright owners think there is money to be made from these games, re-release them, there are some I (and others) would buy, but probably not enough to make you a profit. So these games are just going to die and be forgotten?
I agree with this view totally. I am an avid collector of abandonwarez because I believe that Commander Keen and Sky Roads are better than any of todays bloated games.
software is like having a relative or friend who needs something to do,if it helps him and he isn't making money off it give it to him(softwelfare)
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