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Home Forums 68kMLA The Macintosh Garden — #3
Post #3 by Sherry Haibara
Source Forum68kMLA
CategorySoftware
Post DateSun, 28 Jun 2015 - 20:43
Original URLhttps://68kmla.org/bb/threads/the-macintosh-garden.2257/
Post
I think part of the "problem" with Macintosh Garden is that it's got a very broad definition of abandonware. 
Technically speaking, if a certain software isn't sold anymore and its maker is not anymore interested in making money out of it, it may be considered abandonware: however, it's certainly debatable whether this definition should also include pirated software simply because "it's not being sold anymore". 
Personally speaking, I have no problem with it: if a software is abandoned and realistically no one is claiming its copyright anymore, I think it's fair to use and redistribute it or at least preserve it for the years to come. 
However, this is only my personal position on the matter: others may consider it piracy nonetheless and be against it, and in this case it would be prohibited to publicly link it. I understand this is mostly to avoid any future annoyance from copyright holders who might think, at a certain point, that a product of them is not really abandoned: they could proceed with C&D letters or legal disputes, and that wouldn't be nice.

So to sum up: I'd say if you refer to it in "non-clear terms" (as if, in a secret code), it's ok. People who want to understand the code, will decipher it easily enough. But I'd avoid linking it in public, giving its uncertain legal condition.

mp.ls